How to approach reading as a translator

When an individual inquires of Damion Searls how he “selects” terminology for a translation, he compares it to asking a reader how they “decide” what Mr. Darcy appears like when perusing “Pride and Prejudice.” Neither is truly a choice, he claims, but rather a reaction influenced by the text.

“We’re not translating the written words that exist. We’re experiencing a reading journey, and subsequently, we’re presenting an interpretation that someone reading English can then receive,” Searls ’92 informed the crowd that recently filled the Barker Center’s Plimpton Room to listen to the esteemed translator. “This is why flawless translations or ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ translations don’t exist, just as there’s no incorrect way that Mr. Darcy appears.”

Searls, who translates from German, Norwegian, French, and Dutch, has rendered works by Nobel Prize laureate Jon Fosse, Proust, Rilke, Nietzsche, Thomas Mann, and Max Weber. He delved into his perspective, which he details in his 2024 publication, during a lecture jointly sponsored by the Department of Comparative Literature, the Department of Philosophy, and the Mahindra Humanities Center’s Rethinking Translation Seminar.

The previous day, Searls conducted a translation workshop with three doctoral candidates from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the Comparative Literature’s Secondary Field in Translation Studies.

“No matter your perception of translation, it represents a mix of reading and writing combined,” the former Adams and Dunster House occupant stated. “Reading clarifies much about translation, and if you dissect what reading entails, you’ll approach the essence of translation philosophy.”

Searls asserted that translation bears similarities to other writing forms in English, which demand identical skills. However, what differentiates translation is the manner in which translators engage, focusing intently on the structural elements of the language.

When “reading like a translator,” Searls conveyed he must ascertain which language components may be omitted in English and which represent intentional stylistic decisions made by the writer. In translating Uwe Johnson’s “Anniversaries,” for instance, he observed commonplace “not this but that” structures (“the train departs not at 7:00 but at 6:00”), which are more prevalent in German than in English.

Although rephrasing for a more fluid English rendition would be straightforward, he recognized that Johnson employed this pattern purposefully to articulate a personal perspective and “slowly converge on the truth.”

“We can’t merely eliminate it because it’s not just about the German language: It’s him, the author,” Searls said. “Every author utilizes the characteristics of their language to achieve their intended message, and as translators, we must do the same with a totally different set of resources.”

In “The Philosophy of Translation,” Searls references French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s concepts regarding perception to detail how the process of translating occurs, contending that the “living connection” that exists between humans and objects equally applies to translators and the languages they interpret.

Just as an individual instantly identifies a chair, grasps its function, and feels inclined to sit due to the object’s being, Searls indicated to the audience, translators too quickly recognize written language upon reading it, comprehend one of its roles is to be translated, and are prompted by the language to generate the translation.

Searls also outlined his method when starting a new translation, typically involving a meticulously crafted initial draft, which enables him to refine later versions with minimal referral back to the original text. Although he occasionally reads the book in advance, he often translates sequentially.

“It feels instinctive. I continuously revise and strive to enhance its appeal,” Searls clarified. “As much as you can refrain from looking back at the original aids in directing your focus towards: Does this have the right feel in English?”

A crucial aspect of effective translation is maintaining similar associations for readers across languages, Searls noted. While translating Fosse’s “Septology I-VII,” he encountered a mention of Gula Tidend (literally “Gula Times,”) a now-defunct publication from a small locality near the main character’s residence.

When Searls consulted Fosse regarding the title, he discovered that “gula” is an archaic verb indicating strong wind and also referred to a historical Norwegian area, the birthplace of the earliest legal codes in the Nordic region. Fosse allowed him to make the choice, so Searls opted for “The Northern Herald,” which conjures notions of medieval heraldry and the northern breeze.

Most importantly, he emphasized that his translation avoids interrupting the sentence’s flow by causing English readers to hesitate over the words in the title.

“It might appear as an instance of the translator being quite subjective, but from my perspective, I was simply reading,” Searls expressed. “Initially, when I encountered Gula Tidend I was uncertain about how to interpret it. I couldn’t grasp its function in the book, its purpose, or how it connected. Then I investigated the words, consulted the author, and reached a stage where I could interpret it properly. Upon achieving that milestone, I remained completely faithful.”

An audience member inquired of Searls how to attain the confidence to feel like a proficient reader for translation tasks. He replied that while some assert that mastering the original language is imperative for translation, he perceives greater complexity. Although he is sufficiently versed in Norwegian to translate Fosse, he mentioned that he wouldn’t necessarily feel at ease translating any Norwegian text.

“It’s also important to acknowledge that various forms of expertise exist in the world. You wouldn’t want to sway too far that way and become a gatekeeper, stating that one cannot translate a book until they possess a Ph.D., for perhaps you contribute different strengths,” Searls remarked. “It seems to be a perfect illustration of doing your utmost and striving for improvement.”