Fic Talk > General Discussion
Question of the day part 10
usako:
--- Quote from: Sakabelle on September 21, 2013, 01:50:23 PM ---I might be getting annoyed over nothing, but I feel like the story isn't being given proper credit. She has my S/N on the site, but I have asked her to additionally link my name back to the original English version of the story and she hasn't yet. Also when people comment on it and compliment the actual story, I feel like she should at least make some mention of me as the author, but that doesn't happen.
There is also the matter of people commenting on it and saying they read it in English and while the story was good, the writing wasn't so they're happy to see a beautiful translation. That obviously isn't the translator's fault but it's bothering me all the same.
It is entirely possible I am getting annoyed over nothing, but that story was my baby and to feel like someone else getting way more love for it than I did is really upsetting.
--- End quote ---
My situation is a little different since I translate my own stories from Italian to English. I think Julilly is right in saying that they might understand it better in their own language opposite to when they read it in English. The translating process isn't translating word per word but trying to translate the image or the situation or the general idea of what the author wanted to say, hence why most of the time Google translator sucks because it translate word for word, without giving importance to the context.
For example, it has happened a lot of time that I've to add things, words or entire sentences when I was translating because I wanted to give the perfect idea.
So, to answer your question, I don't think I'll ever be quite alright with someone else translating my stories because I can't control how they would translate them. It'll be flattering but... no, I wouldn't be able not to check it and have a say. LOL
julilly:
That's a good point, how would you ever know that they were properly reflecting the imagery or feelings that you'd originally written without being able to read it? That would be awkward.
RokofAges75:
I let someone translate Curtain Call to include on a Portuguese fanfic site, and I was fine with it because she promised to credit it back to me. I figured it would open my writing up to a wider audience, which is always a good thing. Unfortunately, she never got past Chapter 4 in translating it, so that's all that's there. Luckily, there is a link to my site and the original story on my site, so readers can get to the English version if they want to continue reading it.
You guys make good points about the quality of the translation. From what I can tell without speaking Portuguese, it seems like my story was translated not word-for-word like the online translators would do, but for meaning, because when I translate it back into English, it's not written the way same way I wrote it, but similar enough that the meaning is still there.
I would allow more translations, as long as I was credited and my original, English version of the story linked.
Carter-Orange:
I think I'd be OK with it, as long as I was mentioned as the writer and no one else was trying to claim it was their work.
Steph, they probably meant that they were able to understand it better in their own language. No one could say your writing isn't good!
Sakabelle:
Thanks guys, that makes sense! I didn't even think about them not totally getting the English nuances if it wasn't their native language.
I'm trying to think of another question to ask in here but nothing is coming to me lol
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