The warp side of the tapestry: reflections on the study of Hispanic culture
This was the title of an inaugural lecture by Robert Archer at Kings College this evening, discoursing on Cervantes, translation and his passion for Ausias March (a Valencian poet from some time ago). The warp side is a metaphor by Cervantes for reading a translation into a closely related language. While drinking tea before and wine after I was able to admire a small exhibition on China seen through the records of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with texts on tea of various kinds and engravings of Emperors and famous Jesuits.
To quote from Thomas Shelton's 1620 translation in the speaker's handout: "Methinks this translating from one language to another, except it be out of the queens of tongues, Greek and Latin, is just like looking upon the wrong side of Arras-hangings; that, although the pictures be seen, yet they are full of threads that darken them, and they are not seen with the plainness and smoothness as on the other side. And the translating out of easy languages argues neither wit nor elocution."
I am off to Leeds for the day tomorrow morning on the way to treadwells, so am aiming for an early night!
To quote from Thomas Shelton's 1620 translation in the speaker's handout: "Methinks this translating from one language to another, except it be out of the queens of tongues, Greek and Latin, is just like looking upon the wrong side of Arras-hangings; that, although the pictures be seen, yet they are full of threads that darken them, and they are not seen with the plainness and smoothness as on the other side. And the translating out of easy languages argues neither wit nor elocution."
I am off to Leeds for the day tomorrow morning on the way to treadwells, so am aiming for an early night!