According to Ye Olde Chosun, Bertelsmann Korea is under fire for releasing a shoddy translation of the Dan Brown bestseller The Da Vinci Code. Being a translator by trade, my heart goes out to poor schmuck (or shmucks) that got tasked with that project. I shudder when I imagine what it would be like to translate a similar piece of literature from Korean to English. The linguistic issues would seem daunting enough. Add on to that the kind of cultural and historical background you’d need to do the job appropriately, and it’s a nightmare. Knowing that people actually have to do things like that is something to take solace in next time I get stuck translating Kim Dae-joong’s column.
Picked up a copy of The Da Vinci Code today, BTW. Having read (and enjoyed tremendously) Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum, however, I wonder if I might be setting myself up for a disappointment.
Sphere: Related Content
7 Comments
Foucault’s Pendulum is different and evokes more of the Kabbalah than Christian secret societies. It’s a pretty good read but wants time to read and it helps if one knows what the “Kabbalah” is.
I read that book. It’s good for reading while taking shits or killing time on long flights. Why bother with bad translation? The original is trash to begin with.
Korean netizens discussed this issue a while ago, but I didn’t know the publisher actually planned to fire the translator. If you know Korean, please check this out:
http://news.media.daum.net/cul.....19657.html.
Personally, I don’t think that the mistake was a big deal as long as the content is understandable. Translation is a hard work. If you don’t like the translation, get the original copy. Sorry for the translator.
June, you said, “Personally, I don??t think that the mistake was a big deal as long as the content is understandable. Translation is a hard work. If you don??t like the translation, get the original copy. Sorry for the translator.”
First, I agree with a lot of things you post here, but on this I will have to disagree. You said read the original copy! They are getting the translation because they can’t speak English! That is like putting down those Koreans who can’t read English. If you can’t read English do you have to put up with garbage translated by an inadequate translator? I’ve run into awful translations in movies and literature and I have to say the translator’s are definitely at fault. I know tranlation is difficult. So I say if you are not skilled enough and definitely not professional enough take an easier translation job.
Koreans or which ever country you’re from are all entitled to the absolute best translation they can get their hands on. I’m not asking for something perfect (translation can never be a 100% perfect) but the DaVinci traslation was below-par work. (That was a British understatement)
(That’s why I never take on jobs requiring me to translate classical pieces of literature
Trust me I read it both in English and Korean.
BTW Marmot I’m reading the “Foucault??s Pendulum” right now.
Many are trashing “Da Vinci Code” and I must agree that it is not at the level of ” Foucault??s Pendulum” literature-wise. But it is still a excellent read. Dan knows how to build up the suspense and keep those pages turning. If you want a deep discourse on religious topics, this book is not for you, but if you want a action packed, bang bang hollywood type ride, this book is good book to read. Enjoy the ride!
Umberto started the genre and Dan is riding his coattails. And if you like ?橫Foucault??s Pendulum?? try “Name of the Rose,” which was an excellent book and the movie was actually about as true as you’re going to get to the book.
Wow Wedge! That books sitting on my bookshelf as the ‘next one to read’ after “Foucault’s Pendulum.” Thanks anyway