Reflective Statement
Before the interactive oral on the impact of translations in the understanding of novels, I never regarded the influence of a translation on my understanding. While reading The Stranger, I knew the book had been translated from French, but disregarded that the translation might lead to alterations of words or ideas based on the style of the translation. With books originally written in one’s own language, it becomes easier to derive meaning closer to the author’s intentions as meaning through translating the language. However, after the Interactive Oral, I have a greater awareness of such aspects. For example, the first line of The Stranger in original French, “Aujourd’hui, maman est morte" varies between translations.
Before the interactive oral on the impact of translations in the understanding of novels, I never regarded the influence of a translation on my understanding. While reading The Stranger, I knew the book had been translated from French, but disregarded that the translation might lead to alterations of words or ideas based on the style of the translation. With books originally written in one’s own language, it becomes easier to derive meaning closer to the author’s intentions as meaning through translating the language. However, after the Interactive Oral, I have a greater awareness of such aspects. For example, the first line of The Stranger in original French, “Aujourd’hui, maman est morte" varies between translations.