Is That a Fish in Your Ear? : Translation and the Meaning of Everything

from RealLifeReading

"Give a hundred competent translators a page to translate, and the chances of any two versions being identical are close to zero. This fact about interlingual communication has persuaded many people that translation is not an interesting topic - because it is always approximate, it is just a seco...

from AramisSciant

Very erudite work by the director of the translation program at Princeton, peppered with very witty evidence from many many languages. It would be a fun read for anyone with an interest in language, not just translations. I'm not sure I agree with his final thoughts about language, but as a langu...

from Lukerik

I found the bit about the EU very interesting, God help me; and it was great to see Asterix mentioned. In fact, there's loads to interest you, even if, like me, you're really just an end user of translations. I always look out now to see if what I'm reading has been translated up or down.

from ensvenskitaiwan

After having worked as a translator for almost 20 years, I find it interesting as a summary of the things that go through the mind of a translator, but it doesn't add much. I'm quite sure it would be very interesting for non-translators or presumptive translators wanting to find out what goes int...

from lascaux

Thrillingly interesting, shows language as putty, the relativeness of cultures, the flow of a language, not bound, also the interpenetration of languages and speech in general, and much more. To be read fairly slowly, savoured, thought about. But it's not overly academic.