Chapter 9. Lost and found in humour self-translation
-
Tomoko Takahashi
Abstract
Humour translation is extremely difficult, especially between languages as linguistically and culturally distant as Japanese and English. Often, therefore, much is lost in translation, but at the same time, there is much to be gained. In this chapter, I examine humour translation based on my experience translating my own autobiography from Japanese to English. By so doing, I ask: What have I gained from humour self-translation despite what I have lost due to difficulties? Based on this inquiry, I describe two types of experience with humour self-translation: (1) battles against untranslatability, defeats, and possible wins and gains, and (2) creative rewriting or manipulations triggered by the “distance” resulting in gains. Firstly, self-translators’ struggles with humour self-translation may lead to their deeper understanding of the source text – and to their self-realization. Secondly, self-translators may go beyond the losses and (unexpectedly) achieve gains, thanks to the creativity found in the target language or inspired by the target audience. Such gains are possible often due to a higher level of freedom that self-translators enjoy.
Abstract
Humour translation is extremely difficult, especially between languages as linguistically and culturally distant as Japanese and English. Often, therefore, much is lost in translation, but at the same time, there is much to be gained. In this chapter, I examine humour translation based on my experience translating my own autobiography from Japanese to English. By so doing, I ask: What have I gained from humour self-translation despite what I have lost due to difficulties? Based on this inquiry, I describe two types of experience with humour self-translation: (1) battles against untranslatability, defeats, and possible wins and gains, and (2) creative rewriting or manipulations triggered by the “distance” resulting in gains. Firstly, self-translators’ struggles with humour self-translation may lead to their deeper understanding of the source text – and to their self-realization. Secondly, self-translators may go beyond the losses and (unexpectedly) achieve gains, thanks to the creativity found in the target language or inspired by the target audience. Such gains are possible often due to a higher level of freedom that self-translators enjoy.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- List of contributors ix
- Chapter 1. Humour in self-translation 1
-
Part 1. From poetry to the screen
- Chapter 2. Mockery and poetic satire 15
- Chapter 3. Punning herself 41
- Chapter 4. From traduttore, traditore to traduttore, creatore 63
- Chapter 5. “Humourizing” the theatre of the absurd through reworking and (self-)translation 87
- Chapter 6. Humour, language variation and self-translation in stand-up comedy 113
- Chapter 7. Humour and self-interpreting in the media 141
-
Part 2. Reflections and experimental approaches
- Chapter 8. iTranslate or iWrite? 179
- Chapter 9. Lost and found in humour self-translation 195
- Chapter 10. How funny am I? 215
- Chapter 11. Multimodal strategies of creation and self-translation of humorous discourse in image-macro memes 233
-
Epilogue
- Chapter 12. Second thoughts about second versions 257
- Index 275
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- List of contributors ix
- Chapter 1. Humour in self-translation 1
-
Part 1. From poetry to the screen
- Chapter 2. Mockery and poetic satire 15
- Chapter 3. Punning herself 41
- Chapter 4. From traduttore, traditore to traduttore, creatore 63
- Chapter 5. “Humourizing” the theatre of the absurd through reworking and (self-)translation 87
- Chapter 6. Humour, language variation and self-translation in stand-up comedy 113
- Chapter 7. Humour and self-interpreting in the media 141
-
Part 2. Reflections and experimental approaches
- Chapter 8. iTranslate or iWrite? 179
- Chapter 9. Lost and found in humour self-translation 195
- Chapter 10. How funny am I? 215
- Chapter 11. Multimodal strategies of creation and self-translation of humorous discourse in image-macro memes 233
-
Epilogue
- Chapter 12. Second thoughts about second versions 257
- Index 275
