Do you remember the very first time you travelled to a foreign country? Or, rather, the encounter with the initial individual who did not speak your native language at all?
Despite having to go back many years, I do. Taking a break, carefully considering what’s happening, realizing our similarities and our differences can be very formative for how you and those around you handle such an encounter.
I think it must have gone very well, for what I still remember is the curiosity it left me with, and the urge to understand and be understood. The desire to find and expand the common ground between what is foreign and what is familiar played an important role in the persistent idea of doing something with languages.
Over the years, I have read countless books, most recently during the Master of Arts in Translation. My senses have been sharpened regarding differences. The various aspects, and frequently the divisions among cultures, have been extensively examined, emphasized, and the opinions of numerous scholars have been contemplated. I was even influenced by the fascination with the powers at play when choosing the source text for my dissertation.
There are, without a doubt, various techniques for dealing with cultural differences. As I am of the firm belief that our divergences, both apparent and less apparent, do not have to divide us, my translations will reflect this approach without causing any harm to the source text. On the contrary, at certain times, it may be prudent to exaggerate differences in order to return to our commonalities.
Are you looking to make a difference?
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