If you’ve ever met someone who speaks your native tongue as their second language, they may have tried to explain something to you but been unable to. Afterwards, they could say that it’s easier to explain that concept in their own language. Why is this? Could your friend not have a complete grasp of your language, or do languages have concepts that cannot be conveyed from one language to another? Many concepts cannot be directly conveyed into English or other languages. For translators and interpreters, these difficult concepts may pose a problem when translating and interpreting. Even though many concepts cannot be directly conveyed between languages, if the concept is explained, the translator or interpreter is able to provide readers with a better understanding of the underlying meaning.
English lacks a direct translation for many foreign words and ideas. One especially challenging Japanese concept to translate is aware. This concept is not entirely untranslatable, but some of its meaning is lost in direct translation. The direct written translation of the word, “the sadness of things” fails to encompass the feelings experienced with nature motifs in the Heian period, a time when the courtly Japanese nobles spent their days writing poetry about nature, life and love and all the emotions associated with each. (For a better idea of Heian court culture, read The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, the world’s first novel).
Translators and interpreters working from English into other languages face similar issues. While idioms and other figures of speech cannot be translated and maintain their original meaning, other words with no foreign language equivalent also exist. Words embedded with American or English culture, like “bromance,” “kitsch,” and “spam,” do not have equivalent words in other languages.
Even though some words may not have a direct equivalent in other languages, translators can still provide readers with an understanding of the concepts of these words. If there is a written word that is similar but may not encompass the entire meaning of the original word, translators may decide to use it. As long as this word is not used multiple times or related directly to the theme of the text, a translator can do this without worrying about losing much of the original meaning. Depending on the text, the translator may decide to use a similar word that makes sense within the context.
Sometimes though, a word may be central to a reader’s understanding of a text, given its frequent use. In such cases, the translator will need to provide a more detailed explanation of the word, rather than just choosing a word that is similar to the original word’s meaning. The translator can do so by describing the written word and its meaning, or by leaving the word in its original language and providing a translator’s note on what the word means, going into detail to describe the word fully.
While it can be argued that some words are exclusive to a single language, translators can overcome this problem based on the text they are translating. When appropriate, a similar word should be used. If a translator feels that readers will need a complete understanding of the word, the translator can provide this by explaining the concepts and meanings behind a word. This way, the original meaning of the text will be left intact, even after translating.
Have you ever had an especially difficult word to translate? Tell us about it below!
