By Any Other Name

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 4:10 AM

Thought of the day...a contemplative entry. This is, strangely, neither an apology, rant, or plea. Just thinking.

Yet another person asked me today why I want to learn as many other languages besides my native tongue as I can. Besides communicating with others, and partially "seeing through their eyes"(as cliche as that is), I want to see all the variable beauty that I can.

Because as a language, English is inadequate for subtleties of poetry and other artistic usages of language.{Besides the fact that other languages have gotten to certain concepts "first", by way of their idea sets. Thus certain 'thoughts' are untranslatable--though a non-native reader can get closer to understanding them by speaking the language.}

Let me clarify. I don't think English is a big hacking sword when what you need is a penknife (being mightier...), I'm just saying it's blunter than necessary when a certain fineness of emotional or physical description is required.

On the other hand, English's multifaceted words are excellent for different and simultaneous interpretation--aka double meanings.
However, a particular word or phrase carrying many connotations must be used in a different way than one with few, like any artistic medium. [surprisingly, words are in fact an artistic medium...]. This effect is amplified when it's applied to the language as a whole.

Also, I just want the author's original intent. Reading a translation, even a good translation, can never be like your Italian grandmother's polenta,only a pale imitation tagged with the quid-pro-quo of a sell-by date.

It gives you the idea, but not the full flavor. So I want to not only read their words, but also their idea, as they thought it.

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