---------------
Dano said that the arrangement of words in the English prose is made in an orderly fashion. In other words, the native- speaking English writers compose expositions according to the principles of paragraph writing, to be exact. So the teachers and students of the English prose as a second language should teach and learn on the structural basis of the prose composition.
Text:
Langdon nodded absently. Symbologists often remarked that France--a country renowned for machismo, womanizing, and diminutive insecure leaders like Napoleon and Pepin the Short--could not have chosen a more apt national emblem than a thousand-foot phallus. (The Davinci Code, Dan Brown, p.17) (The Korean version1, p.31)
Dano's comments:
I wish you could see into the Korean version, and I wish I could show how incommunicably awkward the arrangements were made. The bold-typed words on the previously stated paragraph enumerate the elements which are considered derisive and ridiculous the writer of The Davinci Code wants to convey to his readers. Therefore, the enumeration of facts should satisfy these conditions. The writer of this novel The Davinci Code wants to say through his protagonist that the French male population tends to domineer, philander, and to be physically short and psychologically unstable.
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Profession
----------------
Dano said from time to time that buck stops where money is. In other words, the translators and their publishers should take responsibility for their publications, especially when they had sold huge number of copies. Dano thought aloud it's deplorable that the Korean version of Doctors had committed so many translational errors and that even after having been pointed to the errors they hadn't corrected them.
Text:
Indeed a frivolous legend has it that Hippocrates, having grown restless after spending two millennia in the Elysian Fields with the hale and hearty, came back to earth and applied to Harvard Med to observe what progress had been made in (1)the profession since his heyday.
Posing as a straight-A Harvard senior who had scored a perfect eight hundred on the Med Aps and had also run (2)four minutes for the mile, (3)he went serenely confident to his interview. When asked by his interrogator, respected orthopedic surgeon Christopher Dowling, what he considered to be the essential principle of Medicine, Hippocrates confidently quoted himself, "First, do no harm."
He was rejected as unsuitable. (Doctors, Erich Segal, p.85) (the Korean version, p.113)
Dano's comments:
The English prose is the system of relationships. In other words, the English exposition consists of relationships which function as cross-sectional and multi-directional. The translator of the English language publications who belongs to the category of the second language speaker of English should explicate the relationships they are to encounter in the expositions. Still, a considerable portion of so-called Korean translators themselves do not elucidate the relationships in the English writings they are handling. I wish I could show the Korean version.
Of all the relationships of the prose, the substitution arising in the relationships is very important. The pronoun he in the above paragraph of course represents Hippocrates. However, very regrettably, the Korean translator discloses his or her ignorance by grasping the pronoun he as a medical student of Harvard University. The bold-typed the profession of course means the medical job at large. And four minutes for the mile means that the Harvard Med students who have passed the Med Aps should undergo another physical test of the "running of a mile in less than four minutes." (www.google.com)
Dano said from time to time that buck stops where money is. In other words, the translators and their publishers should take responsibility for their publications, especially when they had sold huge number of copies. Dano thought aloud it's deplorable that the Korean version of Doctors had committed so many translational errors and that even after having been pointed to the errors they hadn't corrected them.
Text:
Indeed a frivolous legend has it that Hippocrates, having grown restless after spending two millennia in the Elysian Fields with the hale and hearty, came back to earth and applied to Harvard Med to observe what progress had been made in (1)the profession since his heyday.
Posing as a straight-A Harvard senior who had scored a perfect eight hundred on the Med Aps and had also run (2)four minutes for the mile, (3)he went serenely confident to his interview. When asked by his interrogator, respected orthopedic surgeon Christopher Dowling, what he considered to be the essential principle of Medicine, Hippocrates confidently quoted himself, "First, do no harm."
He was rejected as unsuitable. (Doctors, Erich Segal, p.85) (the Korean version, p.113)
Dano's comments:
The English prose is the system of relationships. In other words, the English exposition consists of relationships which function as cross-sectional and multi-directional. The translator of the English language publications who belongs to the category of the second language speaker of English should explicate the relationships they are to encounter in the expositions. Still, a considerable portion of so-called Korean translators themselves do not elucidate the relationships in the English writings they are handling. I wish I could show the Korean version.
Of all the relationships of the prose, the substitution arising in the relationships is very important. The pronoun he in the above paragraph of course represents Hippocrates. However, very regrettably, the Korean translator discloses his or her ignorance by grasping the pronoun he as a medical student of Harvard University. The bold-typed the profession of course means the medical job at large. And four minutes for the mile means that the Harvard Med students who have passed the Med Aps should undergo another physical test of the "running of a mile in less than four minutes." (www.google.com)
Excite?
---------------
"Relationships in the English prose are actually cross-sectional," Dano said. "They define each other, determine each other, and affect each other."
Text:
"Did you use Alta Vista?" he asked, raising his right hand to signal students what to do if they had used the first major search engine that Google had left in the dust.
"Excite?" he asked, listing another erstwhile search engine.
"Just curious," Brin went on, without breaking cadence, "what search engine used here." (The Google Story, p.15) (The Korean version, p.34)
Dano's comments:
I wish I showed the Korean version. The relationships of the bold-typed word Excite are cross-sectional and multi-directional. The word Excite is related to the previously stated word Alta vista and the subsequent phrase "another erstwhile search engine." It's been so regrettable for the Korean translator not to see the relationships surrounding the word at issue. It's been a new awakening to me that what is taken for granted to the native speaker can cause such a linguistic disaster. The character Brin in the paragraph just said, "(Did you also use) Excite?" He is not asking, "Are you excited?" Don't you Korean translator of the Google Story see that the noun Excite is defined by "another erstwhile search engine"?
"Relationships in the English prose are actually cross-sectional," Dano said. "They define each other, determine each other, and affect each other."
Text:
"Did you use Alta Vista?" he asked, raising his right hand to signal students what to do if they had used the first major search engine that Google had left in the dust.
"Excite?" he asked, listing another erstwhile search engine.
"Just curious," Brin went on, without breaking cadence, "what search engine used here." (The Google Story, p.15) (The Korean version, p.34)
Dano's comments:
I wish I showed the Korean version. The relationships of the bold-typed word Excite are cross-sectional and multi-directional. The word Excite is related to the previously stated word Alta vista and the subsequent phrase "another erstwhile search engine." It's been so regrettable for the Korean translator not to see the relationships surrounding the word at issue. It's been a new awakening to me that what is taken for granted to the native speaker can cause such a linguistic disaster. The character Brin in the paragraph just said, "(Did you also use) Excite?" He is not asking, "Are you excited?" Don't you Korean translator of the Google Story see that the noun Excite is defined by "another erstwhile search engine"?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Den
----------------
Dano declared that Webster's Unabridged English Dictionary and all the assortments of English dictionaries are not "companionable" but "referential." The owners of the dictionaries should refer to them with care, doubt, and disbelief, Dano stressed. The Korean teachers and students have tended to depend on the dictionaries too much.
Text:
They would not be watching his bedroom, and Luigi said he was relieved by that. If Marco managed to find a woman willing to visit him, they could catch her coming and going with the camera in the den, and that was certainly enough for Luigi. If he got really bored, he could hit a switch and listen for fun. (The Broker, John Grisham, p.152)
Dano's comment:
The huge number of English words are not established in their meanings. In other words, many English words do not have fixed meanings. "They are only listed there in the dictionaries for a frame of reference. That's been hard of the Korean speakers of English to realize. Really hard. why? Because their eyes have been glued to the dictionary pages. In short, the words in dictionaries have been used as the absolute guides for them."
It's been so disappointing to see that most of the Korean translators or something to convey the meaning of the bold typed noun the den as a private study or library or something. I wish I could show the Korean versions which have been appearing in the translated novels. The noun the den does not have its own fixed meaning. It only represents his bedroom, that is, it is a substitution for “his room.” *Note that the substitution should have the definite article the as a modifying determiner.
Dano declared that Webster's Unabridged English Dictionary and all the assortments of English dictionaries are not "companionable" but "referential." The owners of the dictionaries should refer to them with care, doubt, and disbelief, Dano stressed. The Korean teachers and students have tended to depend on the dictionaries too much.
Text:
They would not be watching his bedroom, and Luigi said he was relieved by that. If Marco managed to find a woman willing to visit him, they could catch her coming and going with the camera in the den, and that was certainly enough for Luigi. If he got really bored, he could hit a switch and listen for fun. (The Broker, John Grisham, p.152)
Dano's comment:
The huge number of English words are not established in their meanings. In other words, many English words do not have fixed meanings. "They are only listed there in the dictionaries for a frame of reference. That's been hard of the Korean speakers of English to realize. Really hard. why? Because their eyes have been glued to the dictionary pages. In short, the words in dictionaries have been used as the absolute guides for them."
It's been so disappointing to see that most of the Korean translators or something to convey the meaning of the bold typed noun the den as a private study or library or something. I wish I could show the Korean versions which have been appearing in the translated novels. The noun the den does not have its own fixed meaning. It only represents his bedroom, that is, it is a substitution for “his room.” *Note that the substitution should have the definite article the as a modifying determiner.
Sex and Nervousness
-----------------
Granted that the English prose is the system of relationships, it has to be made clear what type of relationships will make for a specific language situation. Therefore, if the teachers and students at large do not pay special heed, they'll be liable to be trapped in the misinterpretation of the communication at hand, Dano says.
Dano's lecture:
In the cinema [The American President], Actor Michael Douglas says to Actress Anette Bening, who bashes into the presidential room of the White House and assures to herself that she will leave him once and for all. He is confident about her. He says to her that "You're attracted to me." And he tells her that her problem is sex and nervousness. She asks him challengingly and unbelievably, saying, "My problem is sex and nervousness?" He answers yes, and she, as if to make a great decision, asks about the whereabouts of the rest room and after a while she appears with a sleeping gown. A little perplexed at her unexpected appearance, he stammers and she approaches him and hugs him, calling him in heated whispers, "Andy!"
Dano said that the noun phrase sex and nervousness is a mode of discourse. In other words, the native speakers speak like that. But such mode of speaking needs some heed. So the Korean translator, as a speaker of English as a second language must prepare himself or herself for a sophisticated transformation. In brief, sex and nervousness doesn't have a separate entity, that is, not two independent nouns. The two words are an inseparably united concept. Figuratively speaking, the two words are like a married couple, not a single man and a woman standing at the same place. So the [섹스와 두려움] on the translated transcript was wrong.
The Korean version cannot explain the protagonist on the movie Anette Bening's question. The verb of the question should have been [are], but not [is]. (Sex and nervousness are my problem?) Then what's the relationship between sex and nervousness? It is the cause and effect relationship. In other words, in this case the noun sex is a cause and the abstract noun nervousness is the effect. Protagonist Michael Douglas thinks that she is nervous about sex because she might have had sex few and far between. He said "Your problem is nervousness about sex." As if thunderstruck, and as if to prove that she is not suffering from that kind of symptom, she goes toward the bathroom and comes before him naked. (cf bread and butter=>bread with butter; negotiation and compromise=>compromise through negotiations)
Granted that the English prose is the system of relationships, it has to be made clear what type of relationships will make for a specific language situation. Therefore, if the teachers and students at large do not pay special heed, they'll be liable to be trapped in the misinterpretation of the communication at hand, Dano says.
Dano's lecture:
In the cinema [The American President], Actor Michael Douglas says to Actress Anette Bening, who bashes into the presidential room of the White House and assures to herself that she will leave him once and for all. He is confident about her. He says to her that "You're attracted to me." And he tells her that her problem is sex and nervousness. She asks him challengingly and unbelievably, saying, "My problem is sex and nervousness?" He answers yes, and she, as if to make a great decision, asks about the whereabouts of the rest room and after a while she appears with a sleeping gown. A little perplexed at her unexpected appearance, he stammers and she approaches him and hugs him, calling him in heated whispers, "Andy!"
Dano said that the noun phrase sex and nervousness is a mode of discourse. In other words, the native speakers speak like that. But such mode of speaking needs some heed. So the Korean translator, as a speaker of English as a second language must prepare himself or herself for a sophisticated transformation. In brief, sex and nervousness doesn't have a separate entity, that is, not two independent nouns. The two words are an inseparably united concept. Figuratively speaking, the two words are like a married couple, not a single man and a woman standing at the same place. So the [섹스와 두려움] on the translated transcript was wrong.
The Korean version cannot explain the protagonist on the movie Anette Bening's question. The verb of the question should have been [are], but not [is]. (Sex and nervousness are my problem?) Then what's the relationship between sex and nervousness? It is the cause and effect relationship. In other words, in this case the noun sex is a cause and the abstract noun nervousness is the effect. Protagonist Michael Douglas thinks that she is nervous about sex because she might have had sex few and far between. He said "Your problem is nervousness about sex." As if thunderstruck, and as if to prove that she is not suffering from that kind of symptom, she goes toward the bathroom and comes before him naked. (cf bread and butter=>bread with butter; negotiation and compromise=>compromise through negotiations)
Relationships in English
--------------------
Dano demonstrated another exemplary lecture of intra-sentence relationship:
Text:
They are beautiful, of course. That is plain to see. (TIME)
Dano's comment:
These two sentences above were those of the essay of the TIME Magazine titled [the Super Models] and the Korean version stated to the effect that: They are beautiful, of course. They seem plain at initial sight.
Sentence One and Sentence Two in the Korean version are a nonsense, and contradictory because Sentence Two should be equal in assessment or strengthen the meaning of the preceding sentence. The proposition that someone is beautiful is an expression of an excessively aesthetic sentiment, so the subsequent statement should not demean it but amplify or repeat the previous statement. So the translator is greatly mistaken.
How did the unfavorable consequences ensue? Dano found the translator lacking in the knowledge of the English syntax. The translator did not know that the pronoun that in Sentence Two represents Sentence One (They are beautiful, of course.) So Sentence Two can be rewritten as: That (=They are beautiful, of course.) is plain to see. And Sentence Two can be transformed into: It is plain to see that.(that=They are beautiful, of course.) The Korean version should have been in effect as: They are beautiful, of course. People can easily see that they are beautiful.
Dano demonstrated another exemplary lecture of intra-sentence relationship:
Text:
They are beautiful, of course. That is plain to see. (TIME)
Dano's comment:
These two sentences above were those of the essay of the TIME Magazine titled [the Super Models] and the Korean version stated to the effect that: They are beautiful, of course. They seem plain at initial sight.
Sentence One and Sentence Two in the Korean version are a nonsense, and contradictory because Sentence Two should be equal in assessment or strengthen the meaning of the preceding sentence. The proposition that someone is beautiful is an expression of an excessively aesthetic sentiment, so the subsequent statement should not demean it but amplify or repeat the previous statement. So the translator is greatly mistaken.
How did the unfavorable consequences ensue? Dano found the translator lacking in the knowledge of the English syntax. The translator did not know that the pronoun that in Sentence Two represents Sentence One (They are beautiful, of course.) So Sentence Two can be rewritten as: That (=They are beautiful, of course.) is plain to see. And Sentence Two can be transformed into: It is plain to see that.(that=They are beautiful, of course.) The Korean version should have been in effect as: They are beautiful, of course. People can easily see that they are beautiful.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Relationships in English
---------------------------------------------
Dano rehashed the point wherever he went, and whoever he met. Mankind was a relational existence, so all the linguistic efforts were organized and interpreted in terms of relationships between words, sentences, and paragraphs. Though South Korea had been "notorious" for having published "excellent" translations which had been "famous" for "near perfect translation," a minimal portion of translation writers used to tarnish the reputation of the Korean versions of the English language publications.
Dano gave a demonstration of a lecture sheet by using an English-written source text.
Text:
Brig interjected that the pair's overseas travels included not only Israel but
also several European countries. They were on the prowl for talent, and
they were considering opening new offices. For Sergey, who has a sharp
sense of humor, the search was ongoing. (The Google Story, David A. Vise
and Mark Malseed, p.13: The Korean version, p.32)
Dano's comment:
The Korean version has been an utter mistranslation. Above all things, the translator had had no idea of relationships. He had failed to see the paragraph's temporal and spatial relationships. From which all the farcical consequences have originated.
Point One which the translator had to take into consideration as regards the interpretation of the paragraph was spatial relationships, that is, the two characters, Brig and Sergey, were on the stage and giving a speech to the Israeli student audience down below.
Point Two was that the paragraph in question is not the paragraph of common exposition but that of a speech, the so-called Free Speech, so if the translator gave the Korean interpretation of the paragraph in the past tense statement, it would be a misstatement.
Dano showed how the paragraph could be paraphrased:
Brig interrupted to say in a loud voice, "The two of us are travelling not only Israel but also several European countries." He went on to say, "We are looking for talent and considering opening new offices there." Then Sergey said jokingly, "We are still searching."
Dano rehashed the point wherever he went, and whoever he met. Mankind was a relational existence, so all the linguistic efforts were organized and interpreted in terms of relationships between words, sentences, and paragraphs. Though South Korea had been "notorious" for having published "excellent" translations which had been "famous" for "near perfect translation," a minimal portion of translation writers used to tarnish the reputation of the Korean versions of the English language publications.
Dano gave a demonstration of a lecture sheet by using an English-written source text.
Text:
Brig interjected that the pair's overseas travels included not only Israel but
also several European countries. They were on the prowl for talent, and
they were considering opening new offices. For Sergey, who has a sharp
sense of humor, the search was ongoing. (The Google Story, David A. Vise
and Mark Malseed, p.13: The Korean version, p.32)
Dano's comment:
The Korean version has been an utter mistranslation. Above all things, the translator had had no idea of relationships. He had failed to see the paragraph's temporal and spatial relationships. From which all the farcical consequences have originated.
Point One which the translator had to take into consideration as regards the interpretation of the paragraph was spatial relationships, that is, the two characters, Brig and Sergey, were on the stage and giving a speech to the Israeli student audience down below.
Point Two was that the paragraph in question is not the paragraph of common exposition but that of a speech, the so-called Free Speech, so if the translator gave the Korean interpretation of the paragraph in the past tense statement, it would be a misstatement.
Dano showed how the paragraph could be paraphrased:
Brig interrupted to say in a loud voice, "The two of us are travelling not only Israel but also several European countries." He went on to say, "We are looking for talent and considering opening new offices there." Then Sergey said jokingly, "We are still searching."
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