How to tell if a translated work is a good one? I want to read

Learn German, you worthless nigger. If you're an anglo you have no excuse not to.

You don't

How do you expect to know if you don't know the original language? You're just relying entirely on authority.

>>9203329
Ok!

>>9203333
>How do you expect to know if you don't know the original language? You're just relying entirely on authority.

That's why I'm asking, friend!

>>9203322
Learn German so you can tell a good translation from a bad one

If you enjoy it it's good. That's it, really, I can't think of anything else. Maybe read about the style of the translation, to know how close it is to the original.
If the edition is really cheap, it's probably an older, public domain translation, so you can expect a somewhat archaic vocabulary.

File: Dante.jpg (891KB, 1400x5316px) Image search: [Google]

891KB, 1400x5316px

>translation
>good

throw away your fallacies anon, when you read a translation you are reading a different book, which is only a bad thing if you don't acknowledge it. With that said, often times translations will focus in on specific elements of the original text, so consider what you want from Goethe and try to find a translator who appreciates the same thing. For an example of what I mean, look at this Dante chart.

>>9203957
>when you read a translation you are reading a different book, which is only a bad thing if you don't acknowledge it
truth

reading translated poetry is a silly thing to do though

Douglas Hofstadter wrote a lovely work on literary translation titled 'Le Ton beau de Marot'! :)

>>9205300
Only an idiot would genuinely make this claim.

>>9203957
How are none of the academic ones in terza rima?
Is it for the pure, literal translation?

>>9205300
yeah bud we should all become fluent in 7 languages right everyone has time for that

>>9205378
you haven't even read all of shakespeare asshat, but go ahead, read a bunch of translated chinese poems because that makes sense

>>9205300
I think anyone who says this understands very little about poetry. It turns out that I read this comment often.

>>9205361
then a genius like yourself should be able to argue against it

>>9205376
Not sure, the guy who made the chart used to come on this board pretty often, I am sure he would have a good answer.

>>9205408
Metaphors still translate, and you can easily get the intention of the poem, while still keeping some of the musical and aesthetic qualities.
And especially in translations between germanic languages etc.

The fact that you could read an old japanese poem, get its entire meaning, and get a real emotional response proves there is value in translating poetry.

You're basically advocating for someone to never read the Illiad or better yet Moby Dick, just because they don't speak the languages.

>>9205440
How would anyone ever not know English, it's the easiest language on planet earth

Only Spanish is easier

>>9205402
>I think anyone who says this understands very little about poetry
Why do you say that?
I read translated poetry, I'm just interested in your reasoning

>>9205449
English is one of the more difficult ones to learn, you dunce

>>9205451
A better question would be: why would you not read translated poetry?

>>9205459
haha

>>9205440
There is value, but translated work is a standalone piece, not to be equated with original. Producing some emotional response doesn't mean producing the same emotional response.

>>9205469
Truth

>>9203334
Well that was easy
delete thread now I guess

>>9205469
>doesn't mean producing the same emotional response
I mean, if it is translated correctly, it should, more often than not.
And it is obviously not the same thing, no one would argue that, but here we're just discussing semantics. You wouldn't not read Rilke because you don't know german, nor would you say you haven't read Rilke after reading a translation.
Sure, you didn't read the original, but (assuming you got a good translation, hopefully with notes) you'd get almost all the intended meanings.
This obviously doesn't work for everyone, Celan is notoriously difficult to translate, and there are english translations that are absolutely dreadful, but which can be translated pretty decently to other germanic languages.
And even if the english translation is terrible, it might be a bad ("new") poem, but you get the 'gist' of it.

When the east wind blows
let it send your fragrance,
oh plum blossoms.
Although your master is gone,
do not forget the spring.

Yeah man, I hate that we translate poetry :^)

>>9205507
If reading something is just about getting the 'gist' of it then why would you ever read more than a wikipedia article?

>>9205544
I was afraid you'd get that from the last part and then get stuck on it.
Nevermind i guess.