Yesterday I did a translation, Hindi- English after AGES.
It felt so good to immerse in the words, to pull at the gray
matter for close equivalents.
I was driven—after long. Impassioned.
In one of Pravinsinh Chavda’s stories, I think A String of
Words, there is this line about a man in a dusty library, surrounded by piles
of books he’s researching…the lines say how his face bore the sweat-lined pride
of a farmer surrounded by his flourishing crops… this I can understand when I return
to translations after a while.
Sahansheelta= fortitude/ forbearance/ tolerance?
Realised how some words can only have wishy washy
equivalents, or cannot be shifted across tongues, the cultural underline is too
strong… In our culture, putting up with something, adjusting to, withstanding
something for long periods is a virtue.
Perhaps in the west it is not, rebellion is strength? The
closest word someone suggested was endurance. Doesn’t seem to have much of a
positive quality about it, in my opinion.
2 comments:
sahansheelta sounds closest to endurance but as you said, endurance sounds so light in comparison of sahansheelta. salute you for your works. you play with words and play them well. :-)
Wow Austy, such nitty-gritties I would've never thought that a word translated conveyed such different meanings. You are a master of this and amazing how you pay attention to such delicate things - guess thats what makes you the perfect translator
Post a Comment