Last fall I translated a report on the 2010 Refresh Lithuania summer course. This week I got several copies of the printed booklet — with yours truly credited as the translator. I enjoyed the process of translation, which is as much about writing in English as translating from Lithuanian. It is easy to translate in terms of meaning, but a good translation both captures the style of the original writer and expresses it in a way that feels natural in the second language. That can be a challenge. For example, the essay “The Horizons of World Lithuanians” was written by a professor whom I know well. He has a very vivid and eloquent style of writing and speaking, which I wanted to capture in the English version of the essay. I think I accomplished my goal and fortunately he was pleased with my translation as well.
Leave a Reply