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Lost in translation
JUN 18 -
In order for Nepali writing to establish its own identity in the world, it needs international exposure. This is something almost all Nepali writers unanimously agree on. But this is not possible without a satisfactory translation of Nepali literature into English.
As noted poet, and a translator himself, Manjul puts it, “It is necessary to translate Nepali literature to English because there are a large number of people across the world who easily understand it.”
But against a backdrop of innumerable literary works from other languages already translated into English, the small handful of translated Nepali works to date have failed to create the expected buzz among international readers. Why? “Translation is a big problem per se and the selection of Nepali writings which are translated so far has problems as well,” says Nepali writer Narayan Dhakal.
Translation: A problem
The complexity of translation makes it a “different discipline” that should be “undertaken by people with the specific expertise,” says Dr. Govind Raj Bhattarai, who holds a Ph.D in translation studies. Manjushree Thapa, well known for her translations of Nepali literature, admits, “There are many linguistic challenges to translating.”
A banal literal translation deteriorates the quality of the original text, and the cultural values inherent in a language are often difficult to translate. Muna Madan by Mahakavi Devkota is the most acclaimed book in Nepal, but the English translation hasn’t gained a similar reception among international readers. The translation fails to embody the Nepali style of prose that makes the composition unique, Jhyaure Laya—”the most powerful element of Muna Madan,” says Dhakal. “How can you translate the typical Nepali Jhyaure Laya into English?”
Also, translators with equal flair of writing in both languages are rare in Nepal. According to Thapa, many complications arise because “it is very difficult for one person to know, with native fluency, both the original language and the language into which the work is being translated.” Therefore, she stresses on the need for collaborative efforts between native speakers of both languages in translating any work.
Cause and effect
In order to survive in an international market, Nepali works selected for translation must provide something to the reader that hasn’t been seen in the vast library of canonical Western literature.
For the international audience that has read great works like Ivan Turgenev’s Torrent of Spring or Asya, The Blue Mimosa—the English translation of Parijat’s Shirish ko Phool—offers little new material. Dhakal says, “Characters like Suyogbir are not exactly Nepali characters with typical Nepali attributes; rather he is the repetition of numerous other characters that many in the West have already written about.”
There are many examples of authors writing in their native language who have been able to develop a distinctive niche after being translated into English, French or Spanish. These writers are often distinguished by their ability to write stories representing characters unique to their country and culture. Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk is a recent example whose works have garnered international acclaim. Pamuk emerged as a powerful voice of Turkey and stunned readers from across the globe with his vivid depiction of Turkey in works like Snow and My Name is Red. Likewise, Gabriel Garcia Marquez gave a unique view of Latin America through his writings. Now, the question arises: what do Nepali writers possess that can draw the attention of international readers?
According to Dhakal, the current state of Nepali literature is not very promising, but he believes that Nepali history and the diverse culture are great reservoirs to draw on. “The reservoirs are still untouched. Hopefully, upcoming writers will be able to use them.”
But a number of Nepali poems and short stories offer some hope; if wisely selected, skillfully translated and anthologized, Dhakal believes they can attract international readers. Response from international readers to Manjushree Thapa’s recently published anthology of English translations of selected Nepali poems and short stories, The Country
is Yours, has been enthusiastic.
But so far, translated Nepali novels have not been successful in garnering the appreciation of non-native readers. The translations of lengthy works are usually time-and money-consuming jobs that offer little return, which pressingly raises the issue of economic
viability.
Publishing translated works
English translations published by the government-run Nepal Academy and Sajha Prakashan have piled up in their warehouses. Though these organisations lack strong mechanisms for promotion and distribution, the scenario at private publications is different.
Recently, The Printhouse published Manjushree Thapa’s translated work which has been made available in South Asia by Penguin. In addition to this, nepa~laya has published the English translation of Narayan Wagle’s Palpasa Café and the same book is published by Random House of India for distribution among Indian readers. A publishing house from South Korea is releasing Palpasa Café in Korean. These steps engender hope for Nepali literature, though much is left to be done. Thapa says, “The publication of translations has always been very marginal, which is a real loss, especially in our part of the world.” The publishers do not seem enthusiastic about publishing English translations of Nepali literature because, as Arpan Sharma of nepa~laya says, “The writers who have command in both the languages are busy either in journalism or in INGOs.” Thapa supports Sharma’s claim. “While it is possible to earn Rs. 500 per page (and higher) translating documents for NGOs and INGOs, the income earned by literary translators is nil.”
Organised efforts
The necessity of translation was recognised by early modern Nepali writers like Devkota and Sama when they established a council focused on translation in the 1930’s. But the spirit to work in the field did not continue with the writers of later generations because of various reasons. After the establishment of the then Royal Nepal Academy, the work of translation was not pursued seriously, thus impending the flow of Nepali literature to international readers.
Dr. Bhattarai, also a member of the recently reinstated and renamed Nepal Academy, along with his few colleagues is trying to form a separate cell to work on translations. But what Dhakal says in this matter cannot be completely ignored, “The institutional endeavour is necessary but to wait for the initiation of government agencies like the Academy does not yield any fruit.”
The writers who can catch the sensibility of present day readers and who have the flair of writing artistically about the pressing issues of Nepali society can create their own space in the formidable firmament. The original writing must be powerful in itself to survive the international marathon of literature, given the pre-requisite: all the concerned parties—writers, translators, publishers and the organisations—must rethink how they are writing, translating and publishing.
Posted on: 2010-06-19 09:10
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