Complexities of Translating Invented Words
Translating invented words presents unique complexities in both scientific and literary contexts. Whether they arise from scientific breakthroughs or are crafted in literary creations, these terms pose significant challenges for translators. This blog delves into the difficulties of translating invented words and explores the ingenious solutions that emerge from these challenges.
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The Challenge of Translating Invented Words
In some cases, translators will encounter a word straight from the mind of a text’s author. When there’s no possible way for invented words to have an equivalent in the target language, translators must come up with their most creative solutions. This often leads to inquiries about the process of translating and understanding who invented translation as well as the significance of translating unique terms. A common query arises: what was the first word invented in English?
Understanding Technical Language
When an engineer or scientist invents a new process or makes a new discovery, they coin a new term in their native language. Scientific discovery is often shared primarily in one language, creating a dominant discourse. Throughout history, languages like Latin, Arabic, French, and now English have held positions of power, possessing a lexicon of technical concepts that remain untranslatable in other languages. In these cases, the translator must explain the concept and create a new equivalent term in the target language. Most translators prefer to transliterate the original phrase, adapting it slightly for easier pronunciation. However, when transliteration is impossible, the translator must create an original word. Different translators may propose competing terms until one becomes culturally acknowledged.
Literary Invention in Translation
The realm of literature translation presents even more challenges. Works like those of Tolkien and Rowling feature a lexicon of invented words that require specific translations. Rowling’s spells, for example, follow English patterns: charms such as “expecto patronum,” “alohamora,” and “lumos” possess Latin roots to reflect their complex nature. In contrast, household spells like “scourigify” draw on the Germanic roots associated with home and hearth. In these cases, translators must find equivalent connotations in their target language to create similar associations. For instance, in the Hindi translation, Sanskrit roots are utilized instead of Latin to preserve connotations of history, power, and formality.
Challenges of Translating Gibberish
One of the most historically challenging pieces to translate is Lewis Carroll’s poem, “Jabberwocky,” which is entirely written in gibberish yet resembles an English poem enough in form and grammar to be vaguely intelligible. The first lines, “Twas brilig, and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe,” set the stage for something suggestive of a natural environment—despite being technically unintelligible. Translators tackling this piece must evoke the same associations and flow of words in equivalent gibberish in another language. Most create gibberish words that better match the syntax of the target language. Ultimately, this process is highly individual and creative. A glance at a collection of various Jabberwocky translations reveals the wide range of solutions translators have sought to capture the whimsical, adventurous essence of the original poem. Other examples of translating intelligible gibberish include Chapter 68 of Rayuela by Julio Cortázar, written entirely in a nonsense language resembling Spanish called “glíglic.”
Interactive Engagement with Readers
Have you come across an invented word that you couldn’t find an equivalent for in the target language? How did you approach this challenge? Please share your experiences in the comments below.
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