I get to use fiction as a way to work out my thinking and to delight readers in the process. I can't think of any deal that's better for me, and I'm always so grateful that readers have indulged me as I argue with myself in my stories.
Ken LiuRead
My metaphor for translation has always been that translation is really a performance art. You take the original and try to perform it, really, in a different medium. Part of that is about interpretation and what you think the author's voice really is.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Translation is an artistic act that requires interpretation and understanding of the original work.
In this quote, Ken Liu compares translation to a performance art, suggesting that translating a text involves not just converting words from one language to another, but also capturing the essence and intent of the original author. This process requires deep interpretation and a personal touch, as each translator brings their own understanding and voice to the work, effectively creating a new interpretation in a different medium.
Themes
TranslationArtInterpretationPerformanceMedium
In practice
Example use cases
A translator explaining their approach at a literary festival.
More from Ken Liu
All quotes →As a species, we tend to live in environments where our own artifacts dominate. The way we shape our environment and are in turn shaped by it is a key theme in my fiction - indeed, it's a key part of a great deal of science fiction.
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In creating the silkpunk aesthetic, I was influenced by the ideas of W. Brian Arthur, who articulates a vision of technology as a language.
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There are so many different narrative traditions across the world, and each of those traditions has evolved dramatically over time. Once I understood that, I felt truly free; I could write and invent the way I wanted to because there never has been only one way to tell a good story.
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The truth is not delicate and it does not suffer from denial—the truth only dies when true stories are untold.
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Labels like 'Chinese Science Fiction' or 'Western Science Fiction' summarize a vast field of work, all of which are diverse and driven by individual authors, with individual concerns.
Ken LiuRead
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