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
There's inherent cultural imbalance whenever you're translating from Chinese to English. Educated Chinese readers are expected not only to know about all the Chinese references - history, language, culture, all this stuff - but to be well-versed in Western references as well.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Translating culture involves understanding both the source and target cultures, creating an imbalance in expectations.
Ken Liu emphasizes that translation is not simply about converting words from one language to another; it also requires an understanding of the cultural references inherent in both the source and target languages. A well-educated reader in both cultures is expected to navigate a complex web of historical and cultural nuances, which can lead to an inherent imbalance in understanding and appreciation, revealing the challenges of bridging different linguistic and cultural landscapes.
Themes
TranslationCultureLanguageImbalanceUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the complexities of language learning.
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.
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