From Lost in Translation by Eva Hoffman
“When my friend Penny tells me that she’s envious, or happy, or disappointed, I try laboriously to translate not from English to Polish but from the word back to the source, to the feeling from which it springs” (388).
Word Count: 270
This excerpt was very interesting to me in the fact that the author was very focused on the dialect of the English language. Coming from Poland and that being her first language the vocabulary that she used throughout the story was very impressive. She picked part each word that people spoke to her and noticed very subtle things that I don’t think we do as native English speakers. She really focused on the complexities of the language and the differences between Polish and English. For example, common English phrases that we use on the daily might be seen as impolite or something that she wasn’t used to saying. I think this story really opened my eye to the complexities of different languages and what different things can mean to people. She expressed in the quote that she isn’t just listening to the words that someone is stating but rather bringing the word back the source and the feeling that it brings when someone evokes those kinds of emotions. This is something that was different for me to think about because she thinks about words beyond just their meaning and what words can actually mean to a person. Also, she expresses how powerful it is to have a voice and be able to express how we truly feel in our own native tongue.
As I was reading that part of her story I was it was really interesting as well! It made me take a second and think about what I have been saying and writing.
ReplyDeleteI think you really hit the basics/ foundation of semiotics on the head with your context and conclusions of this excerpt. I took a course on semiotics my freshman year and it completely opened my eyes to language and the complexities. I agree that it is quite an impressive feat for this author!
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