Carpenter notes

 Carpenter touched on a number of interesting points in the two readings, to address a few and the discussion questions, I agree that the translator should definitely read the work in full, at least once if not more times, to understand the work before beginning translation. They are not like the reader experiencing it for the first time, they should be like the author who already has an idea of how the story will end. I also liked her idea of translating the spirit, similar to Beichman's claims about translating poetry. She mentioned that humor is a difficult genre and I also think that it doesn't necessarily have to be the same joke, as long as it's funny in a similar way. 

The concept of creative leeway is interesting. I think translation is a practical task, although it is certainly creative, on its basic level it performs a function of understanding. This is unlike for example, remixes of music or covers of songs where the second musician has, in my opinion, unlimited creative control because the music doesn't serve as much of a practical purpose, it's purely for enjoyment. I like Carpenter's metaphor of the coloring book because of the clear lines that you have to stay inside as the translator, but with creative freedom within that. In translating their own work, I think the original author has as much freedom as they want really, but this doesn't extend to the translator because it's not their creative property. 

It sounds exhausting and stressful reading the interview with Carpenter about the three year long process translating a book with an author with such a good knowledge of English. I would not want to take on that work, because of the increased level of criticism from the author of the translation. To me it seems like trying to work with someone breathing down your neck. But it seems like both the author and the translator seemed very pleased with the final product. 

-Joanne