Euphemisms + Political Correctness + Censure = Newspeak*

This thread is also issued in the admin forum and this is a copy-paste from Tantine's post :

"I have oft times noticed, amongst some Experts and/or regular Cucumists, remarks about the “political correctness” (or not) of a translation.

If a translation is “politically correct” where the source text is not, the translation does not convey the meaning of the original. Deliberately making a translation “politically correct” would be as unjust as deliberately mistranslating a “politically correct” text in order to make it “politically incorrect”.

The deliberate use of aseptic euphemisms and the “politically correct at all price” attitude smack terribly of censorship and herald the arrival of Newspeak.

Though I am repugnant to all forms of intolerance, and militate, actively, for 3 decades against racism, sexism, for physically and mentally disabled people’s rights… I do not believe that we, as translators, are here to “clean up” other people’s writing/ways of thinking, by rendering our translations artificially “politically correct”. This would not only be perfidy, it could also be considered as an insidious form of censure.

We cannot re-write or re-translate Orwell, Shakespeare, Bukowsky, Platon, Rabelais… !! under the pretext of “political incorrectness” in their Works. They have “spoken” and, even if we dislike or disagree with what they have “said" and the manner in which they have expressed their thoughts, we have no right to deliberately mistranslate them in order to avoid it clashing with our own, personal opinions.

If I liken translation to the dramatic arts, it becomes even more obvious that “political correctness” per se, has no place in translation. In the same way that an actor(tress) must be loyal to, and defend, even, the text of the playwright, a translator must convey, not only the words themselves, but also the manner, emotions, in which they are expressed.

Having done several missions as a simultaneous translator, it seemed manifest to me that a translator cannot operate in “politically correct” mode. Simultaneous translation is usually used for conferences, debates; it is obvious that this type of meeting will give rise to extremely divergent opinions.

As a translator, you cannot translate into “politically correct” in the target language, otherwise you distort, pervert it, and you are no longer telling A what B said. You would be telling A your opinion of what B said.

A translator is an impartial tool and is used by people who need to know how to get their idea/meaning across to someone in another language. The translator is neither the editor of the original, nor is s/he judge or censor. It is our duty to be loyal to the text we have chosen to translate.

If we feel too uncomfortable about translating a text because it’s contents or it’s manner are “politically incorrect”, we can choose not to translate it. On cucumis we also have the possibility of leaving a message, in the “comments” box, directly under the translation. So, if a source text seems, to the translator (or later to the Expert evaluating), to be “politically incorrect”, s/he can express his/her opinion about it, in the comments box, but should translate (or Evaluate) as closely and loyally as possible.

Imagine that someone needs a translation of an excerpt of “Mein Kampf”, in order to argument against it. A “politically corrected” version would be of no use, because all the nasty bits would have been euphemised.

Imagine that a journalist needs the translation of an Al Qaida press release, (in order to write an informed article, or open a debate about it). If we render such a text “politically correct”, there can be no informed article, nor can there be a debate once it has been “sterilised” by its passage through “political correctness”.

What is Politically Correct?

Who decides what is politically correct?

Cucumis is an extremely heterogeneous community. What may be considered as “politically correct” in one of the countries, regions, peoples, cultures, beliefs…, represented on our site, may very well be ill considered by another.

For a Moslem, the translation of a text from Hindi, referring to several “Gods”, might well be considered as “politically incorrect”, since blasphemous: “…There is only one God…”

For a vegetarian, translating for a butchery would be "politically incorrect".

Catholic members could reject texts proning abortion or contraception.

Should “politically correct” be based on what the French consider as such (because it’s jp’s site and he’s French)?

Or should it be Turkish, because they represent the largest slice of the cucumis watermelon?

From a left-wing or a right-wing point of view?

Moslem? Catholic? Methodist? Hindu?....

Strictly applied, “political correctness” could, eventually lead to a generalised impoverishment of all tongues, of language in general, which can only be to our detriment, as translators.

Bises
Tantine "

What do you personaly think about the translation job? *

i agree, this touches also on the subject of whether or not to translate insults and vulgar words, the answer to me is simple: yes.
that's the meaning of translating, being merely a passageway where ideally nothing gets caught up or left behind. at the most a remark or disclaimer can be made outside of that which is tranlated to make sure it is know that it is considered offence or inappropriate in the source language/culture.

I absolutely agree with Tantine.

I agree with what you say here, but so far I haven't noticed any censorship here at Cucumis.

edit: I take it back!