I always wonder what it must look like, to speaker of Japanese and reader of Japanese literature, to see haikus in English. They must read clumsy - surely, also, they are basically cultural appropriation?
Although where is the line between celebration and adaptation (a form of dialogue with another culture), and appropriation? 🤔
They do feel a lot different in English, in Japanese there’s a lot of imagery evoked by a single kanji, because a single kanji can have various meanings ( you also don’t have rhyme in Japanese which makes it very different from English poetry ). But I enjoy reading it in English too because it gives you a different perspective
That's interesting and wonderful to hear. The pictorial value is a real advantage. I love how English rhyme perhaps is an indirect attempt to compensate for it! :)
I agree I think you have to know the original language to have the pictorial advantage, Shakespeare gets lost in Japanese too, but poetry in all languages is beautiful :))
I wish I could read a lot of other languages because things do get lost in translation ( I once read a Japanese translation of Roald Dahl it was extremely dull ), especially Russian because it would be wonderful reading all the Russian classics in their original form
Just read it ❤️ it’s lovely. Living in Japan I’m surrounded by Haikus but it’s fun to read English versions of Haikus too
I always wonder what it must look like, to speaker of Japanese and reader of Japanese literature, to see haikus in English. They must read clumsy - surely, also, they are basically cultural appropriation?
Although where is the line between celebration and adaptation (a form of dialogue with another culture), and appropriation? 🤔
They do feel a lot different in English, in Japanese there’s a lot of imagery evoked by a single kanji, because a single kanji can have various meanings ( you also don’t have rhyme in Japanese which makes it very different from English poetry ). But I enjoy reading it in English too because it gives you a different perspective
That's interesting and wonderful to hear. The pictorial value is a real advantage. I love how English rhyme perhaps is an indirect attempt to compensate for it! :)
I agree I think you have to know the original language to have the pictorial advantage, Shakespeare gets lost in Japanese too, but poetry in all languages is beautiful :))
I wish I could read a lot of other languages because things do get lost in translation ( I once read a Japanese translation of Roald Dahl it was extremely dull ), especially Russian because it would be wonderful reading all the Russian classics in their original form
Beautiful images and words 🌿