Gabriel García Márquez on Translators

"I have great admiration for translators except the ones who use footnotes. They are always trying to explain to the reader something which the author probably did not mean; since it's there the reader has to put up with it. Translating is a very difficult job, not at all rewarding, and very badly paid. A good translation is always a re-creation in another language. That's why I have such great admiration for Gregory Rabassa. My books have been translated into twenty-one languages and Rabassa is the only translator who has never asked for something to be clarified so he can put a footnote in. I think that my work has been completely re-created in English. There are parts of the book which are very difficult to follow literally. The impression one gets is that the translator read the book and then rewrote it from his recollections. That's why I have such admiration for translators. They are intuitive rather than intellectual. Not only is what publishers pay them completely miserable, but they don't see their work as literary creation. There are some books I would like to translate into Spanish, but they would have involved as much work as writing my own books and I wouldn't have made enough money to eat."

-- Gabriel García Márquez in an interview by Peter H. Stone ("The Art of Fiction No. 69". The Paris Review. Issue 82, Winter 1981).

Writing a Screenplay?!?

Having given it much thought, I have decided to attempt to write a screenplay. I imagine it will be a drama/romantic comedy based on my life...with a bit of exagerration, of course. Over the years I have been in situations where I thought to myself "this would be hilarious if it was a scene in a movie" and then I would play the scene out in my head and laugh...and so the time has come...

Since I have never attempted such a task the first thing on my list is to learn how to write a screenplay. What are the rules? You can't just sit down at a computer and begin writing, I understand that, although I would love to do that instead of worrying about the procedure, structure, etc. Nevertheless, I have slowly begun my research in respect of how to approach the task of writing a screenplay, what the structure should be like, etc., as well as what type of software is out there to assist in such an endeavour.

I'm not expecting the final product to be made into a Hollywood picture or to even be read by any bigshots. This is just something that I have thought about putting together for quite a few years and I think the time has finally come for me to at least attempt to achieve this goal that has been laying dormant for so long.

So, off I go! To explore and create!

México!

Last summer, my fiancé and I took a trip to México. We began by relaxing in Cancun, enjoying the sun, and then began the sightseeing. Since we only went for one week we didn't have too much time to see everything there is to see (that would be impossible), but when in México there is one place that you must visit...Chichén Itzá.

Above: Photo of "El Castillo" in Chichén Itzá, the temple of Kukulkan. Unfortunately, we were unable to climb up the temple. They stopped letting people up about 4 years ago in order to preserve the structure. Nevertheless, the sight was absolutely amazing.

I remember learning about Chichén Itzá and the mayan civilization in university. The course was entitled the History of Astronomy, if I remember correctly. A remarkable civilization. It can be noted as the most advanced ancient civilization in Latin America when it came to mathematics and astronomy. (The others being the Incas and the Aztecs.)

Right: Photo of "El Caracol", the Observatory.

I couldn't believe that I was actually standing there! Seeing the very things that I had studied. It is truly a feeling that I cannot describe in words...to see the incredible structures that this civilization had created...to hear the sound of the god Kukulkan's name echoing in the air. (When you stand at the base of the stairs leading up the temple of Kukulkan and clap your hands you can hear his name.) Imagine a large crowd of people clapping....Kukulkan's name echoing into the heavens.

On our way to Chichén Itzá we had the opportunity to stop by Valladolid in the Yucatan Peninsula and see how the mayans live today. Some mayan women still wear the traditional dresses, which are gorgeously hand-embroidered with vibrant colours of thread.

Among many other wonderful things we were able to see in México, Cobá was another marvel. On the way to Cobá, we stopped at a mayan community where we were invited into Hermalinda's house for some home-made "tortillas". They were delicious!

Below: Hermalinda and I in her home.

After a long drive from Cancún we arrived at Cobá where we were met with about a two-mile hike through the jungle to reach the highest mayan pyramid in the area (approximately 138 feet), the Nohoch Mul pyramid (below). Can you believe that we climbed it? Well, I only made it half way up and then froze. As far as I knew I have never been afraid of heights, however the steps here are incredibly narrow and the only thing to help you is a rope hanging down the centre that you can use as a guide...that's right, there is nothing else to hold on to. Props to my fiancé for making it all the way to the top.

I can't wait to see where we will end up this summer and what adventures we will embark on!

All photographs copyright © michalress.

About the blog

Briefly:
I am currently a student of Spanish-English translation in the Greater Toronto Area and I decided to create this blog to write about my passions and inspirations.

This blog is intended to convey my contemplations about the field of translation. Nevertheless, I must warn you that I do intend to digress from the topic of choice. I have created this space first and foremost to express my reflections on everyday life and the experiences that I am faced with.

Welcome and enjoy!