Prof Harish Narang Delivers a Lecture on Translation
Aligarh : “A total immersion in the text while translating is my ultimate objective because it allows me to capture the voice of the original author, which not only lies in the words and expressions but also in the style of writing”, said Prof. Harish Narang while deliberating upon the topic, “Translating Icebergs: Why do I translate; How do I translate?”, in a special lecture organized by the Discussion Group of the Department of English in collaboration with the Department of Linguistics, Aligarh Muslim University.
Professor Harish Narang explored the intricacies of translation, shedding light on his motivations and methods. When addressing the “Why” of translation, Prof. Narang expressed a dual motivation, “the enjoyment derived from the text and the resonance of its underlying message”. He emphasized that the desire to translate correlates directly with the relevance of the message. He told the audience that the appeal and allure of any literary writing are the foremost reasons behind translation. When he likes any text then he translates it. He also added that the likeness is not only limited to the words but it also encompasses writing style as well as the message of the text.
On the method of translation, he said “I try to familiarize myself with the writer as much as I can”. Prof. Narang pointed out that capturing the author’s voice is paramount and is achieved through thorough reading. Sometimes, it takes more than two or three readings of a text to begin with the translation. Using an intriguing metaphor, he likened literary texts to beehives, where authors store significant information, “A literary text is like a beehive where the author is storing significant information in various slots”.
Talking about the complexities of translation, he cited certain examples from various writings like Godan by Premchand, Joothan by Omparkash Valmiki, Uhuru Street by M.G. Vassanji etc. and acknowledged the difficulties in translating titles, idioms, societal terminologies, and the essence embedded in the culture of the original text.
Prof. Ayesha Munira introduced Prof. Narang, highlighting his exceptional translating skills. Quoting Hemingway she said that a good story is like an iceberg. Only 1/8th is visible above water and the strength of a translator lies in translating that 7/8th, also which is invisible.
Prof. Jahangeer Warsi, Chairperson, Department of Linguistics, offered his concluding remarks. He said that while translating, a translator has to focus on the context, time frame and culture of any word and expression, used by an author.
Prof. Asim Siddiqui, Chairperson, Department of English, thanked Prof. Narang for his enlightening lecture and discussed the gains of the session.
A question-answer session was also held. Thereafter, a memento was presented to Prof. Harish Narang by Prof. Masood-ul-Hasan. Also, Aligarh Journal of Linguistics was presented to him by Dr. Abdul Aziz.
Research scholar Ms. Uzma Afreen proposed a vote of thanks while Ms. Maryam Siddiqui conducted the programme.