At Maithili Diwas event, AMU prof says cultural context crucial to translation

The AMU professor also pointed out how people from every society have their way of living, using a specific language, and some distinguished characteristics of behaviour that identify them as members of a particular social group.

ALIGARH Translation breaks linguistic and cultural confinement, said Aligarh Muslim University’s Professor MJ Warsi while delivering a speech on “Issues in Translation” at Maithili Sahitya Sansthan in Patna. Prof Warsi, who is the chairman of the department of Linguistics at AMU, was invited to attend the session held to mark the “Maithili Diwas”.

Translation breaks linguistic and cultural confinement, said Aligarh Muslim University’s Professor MJ Warsi. (HT Photo)

In his address, Prof Warsi said, “All languages are not same in their structures which is why to find translation equivalence of one language in another is not an easy task, similarly to translate culturally specific terms is a challenging job for a translator.”

At the event, Prof Warsi’s translations of the award-winning novel “Bhamti” by Usha Kiran Khan in Urdu, and “Dakhma” by Baig Ehsas in Maithili were released. “Translation fails when we are unable to find translation equivalence of source language in the target language... linguistic as well as cultural differences are found among languages. Linguistic structures that are found in one language may not be found in another. Similarly, cultural and ritual practices that are part of one culture may not be a part of another one that results in some kind of untranslatability,” said Warsi.

The AMU professor also pointed out how people from every society have their way of living, using a specific language, and some distinguished characteristics of behaviour that identify them as members of a particular social group. “A translator cannot translate the cultural context and if cultural contexts are ignored or misinterpreted by the translator, translation shifts might occur and source language text may be misunderstood by its recipients,” said Warsi.

For context, the professor cited how cousin is an umbrella term for brothers and sisters on the father’s side and the mother’s side in the English language but the word “cousin” isn’t the exact translation of its Hindi counterparts like Khalere Bhai, Mumere Bhai, Chachere Bhai, and Phupere Bhai, among others. During the event, Professor Shiv Kumar Mishra welcomed the guests, and Bhairab Lal Das, secretary of the Maithili Sahitya Sansthan proposed a vote of thanks.