Translation

[Doaa Wael]

I laud translators. Without them, I would not be able to read great books like "Les Miserables" or watch wonderful movies like "Life is Beautiful." Nothing beats the original but for us non-linguists, a translation will have to suffice.

For "My Trip to Adele," I enjoyed the read immensely. In the original Arabic version, did the authors translate Adele's songs? I wonder.

ohh that is a very good question. We wouldn't know because it wasn't published, but it a great question to wonder about. I think they would lose their meaning if they got translated

[Lincolnshirelass]

I am also a translator, and think some fair points are made here. There is something of a debate in translation circles as to whether it should be 'visible' or 'invisible' - I am in my frequently occupied position of 'on the fence'...!!!

[inaramid]

Very true. In my review, I actually speculated that the stiffness of the dialogues (which was one of the key problems I've noted) was probably because of the translation. It didn't deter me from reading the book at all. Stieg Larrson's Millennium series was translated as well, and I enjoyed that immensely.

[Scrawling Pen]

It is difficult to tell for certain without being able to read the untranslated version, but I could see where there would be some problems that arise in translation. Personally, I felt like the story didn't flow well. The dialogue also often felt odd and unrealistic. Perhaps the translation issue is partially to blame?

[ktom]

I thought the translation was actually very good. I thought the wording was exceptional and I never felt as though the book was flat or dull.

[Ria710]

Some parts of the book didn't make sense and the wording was off. The translation was okay, but it was perfect.