Value of Literature in Translation

From my point of view, I believe that translation literature from one language to another has a huge value. Many novels that become recognized, and that gain popularity for their message, or for the quality of their plot, are being made available for other individuals by translating them into other languages. This action just adds to the enrichment of society. When we are able to recognize the best literary works written in our language, such good works are worth translating so that people that talk other languages are able to appreciate such literary works.

Therefore the main advantage that translating literary works from language to language gives us, is the possibility to read works written by authors from other cultures, that might express and transmit certain values that are worth to know. As an example, we find the book Don Quixote written by Miguel de Cervantes, a book that has been translated into 28 different language. This only shows that translating a good literary work into different languages only adds culture to the languages in which the book is being translated, since now a message that could not be understand, can be accessed and understood.

The problem in translating the books is not determining whether or not it is worth it to do it, although there is division of opinions when it comes to the adaptations of books into different languages. As in the example shown in the text "Lost in Translation" many literary critics criticized a well known Chinese write for changing the message of the real author of a book. n the one hand the Chinese writer that adapted the book argued that he made use of his interpretation in order to portray a more accurate version of the book, while the critics only responded that he had completely changed the message of the original author, and had misunderstood the message.

Besides of this in the second text, we find that a writer that has experience with translating books transmits the idea that it is impossible to exactly replicate a book, since the interpretation of the writer adapting the novel or the literary work plays a crucial role when the message of the original author is being analyzed and portrayed. I some cases, several words of one language d not exist in the language in which a literary work is being translated, therefore the message becomes a bit changed due to this fact, which seems to upset many literary critics.


When good writers translate literary works from other language that is not their original language, the only product is a literary work that tries to replicate in the best way the message that the original version conveys. En if the message can change at one point of these translated literary versions of a novel, the essence of the original literary works are not lost, and the changed version can portray better a story that a different society that speaks a different language can understand better, even if several words are changed.

All in all. translation literary works just adds a variety of good novels, poems, and essays to the literature available for a society