is it worth reading english translations of east asian literature?

>>8960219
I like ideas, not pretty words.

>>8960219
it's all lost in translation

>>8960222
but can we fully grasp the ideas when the gap between the languages is so large?

>>8960219
Obviously depends what you mean by a 'proper reading'. Personally I read for fun so I can't see how that could be a problem.

>>8960230
Commentaries

>>8960230
Yes we can.

>>8960230
Do you imagine you can ever 'fully grasp' anything? If so, how?

>>8960233
>depends what you mean by a 'proper reading'
I mean when the text isn't affected by the bias of the translator's culture and language and represents as closely as possible what the author intended

>>8960240
well, if its in english, you can repeatedly read it and study it. but if its a poor translation, you can re-read it all you want but the information you're looking for might just not be there, or be corrupted.

>>8960251
I don't see how a language being East Asian would affect the problem you present- whichever language it is, the translator acts as an extra intermediary. I'd say the individual competence/approach of the translator is a far bigger issue than anything else.

>>8960251
Any person that works as a translator likely has a very good understanding of the work they are translating and the scholarship on it. In fact you might even say they are professionals. The
>Translations
Meme here is just a meme. Read whatever you want and trust that the person who translated it understands the text better than you would if you learnt the language and translated it yourself.

>>8960292
>>8960295
I see, thanks for the advice