“Difficulties in translation” is a phenomenon that is not only related to the study of foreign languages. Often we misunderstand what the interlocutor wanted to tell us, or we cannot clearly express our point of view. Former teacher and now blogger Michael Shook is sure that everyone needs to choose words more carefully, and also be kinder to interlocutors and readers.
I taught foreign students for many years: English was not their native language, usually the second, and even the third – and I quickly realized that the words that I used in communication and in writing were understood differently by them. Often they did not read the meaning that I put into them. It was then that I learned to choose words and expressions as carefully as possible (before that, I must say, I acted rather casually).
Everyone who has ever learned a foreign language probably remembers that before speaking fluently, we spent a long time translating phrases from a new language into our native language and vice versa. This is a logical way of learning a new language: we “string” new information onto an already existing “skeleton”.
However, this process takes time, which means that a student who has to mentally translate from one language to another every time will answer the teacher’s questions and generally “think” more slowly than a student who does not have such a need.
Example. When instructing the class, the teacher might say, “Raise your hand if you know the answer.” Or: “When you know what the answer is, raise your hand.” There is a difference, right? After translating the first part of the first phrase, foreign students are likely to immediately raise their hand, although they may not know the correct answer. It seems to them that this is exactly what the teacher asked them to do. It is possible that they will get it from the teacher, and they will generally cease to understand anything. The snowball of misunderstandings will only grow.
With written instructions, too, everything is not so smooth: having misunderstood or misunderstood one or more words, the student cannot find what is required. A lot of time will be spent on translation, and not on finding a solution.
There is always a possibility that there will be a gulf between what we wanted to say and what others heard.
Well, if the matter was limited to some foreign languages. With texts on the Internet, the same story – we often simply do not understand each other. It would seem that the task of the one who writes is to build sentences in such a way that the reader understands (otherwise, what is the point of writing and publishing what has been written?). It’s not about literacy, but about what information the reader absorbs. Unfortunately, the same “translation difficulties” are encountered here, as in the examples with foreigners.
I recently published a story that got a lot of emotional response. Some of the answers pleased me, others not so much: some readers claimed that I myself did not understand what I was talking about, and that my story was simply poorly written. But there is a difference between “I don’t understand what you’re talking about at all” and “I don’t agree with what you said, and here’s what I think about it…”
When people write something in the grip of emotions, it is not always clear what they mean. On the other hand, in order to write at all, emotions are necessary. If we want to share with others what is on our minds and hearts, it makes sense to write in a way that the reader understands. At the same time, it is important to realize that everyone passes what they read through their own internal filter. There is always a possibility that there will be a gulf between what we wanted to say and what others have heard, but it is worth trying to bridge it.
So how do you write and speak if the topic is hotly exciting? I think to be as kind as possible. It sounds obvious, but not everyone seems to agree with me – in any case, this impression remains after reading many texts, especially on the Internet. Fortunately, there is enough space on the World Wide Web for all points of view and opinions.
When we write on a painful subject and use the most rigid language possible, it is important to be clear and convey it in writing. It is she who helps to write, read, understand better, no matter if we speak different languages or the same.
Written by Michael Shook, educator, blogger.