#but between multiple translators there's a very soothing rhythm to his prose that i've also found in other jpn prose translations i've read | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

daisyachain · 2 years ago

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it would be nice to have a database of prose from different authors/regions broken down by sheer numbers. no meaning, no content, just an aggregate of syllables-per-sentence, syllables stressed in a sentence, x-person perspective, average length of word in a book, standard deviation in word length in a book, sentence length:book length ratio. there are different feelings that come from different languages-in-translation/different regions. an american book just doesn’t feel like a canadian book just doesn’t feel like a british isles book and i’m pretty sure that comes down to the actual rhythm of speech

#also then i'd have a justification as to why i'm enjoying murakami. his embarrassing misogynist habits make me wince #but between multiple translators there's a very soothing rhythm to his prose that i've also found in other jpn prose translations i've read #which have all been extremely lowbrow. the only real explanation for fanlated haruhi having the same dreamy quietude as a Classic #might be the conventions of the original language/culture and not necessarily the author #in the same way i remember doing a pretty good experimental setup by accident when i read a load of star wars EU novels #all of which are the same 5/10 churn quality. there was only one that i actually enjoyed reading despite a boring and unremarkable plot #looking it up after--that was the only novel with a british isles author #kelsely rambles #i need to read more work in translation but my list is too damn long already.gah. and no way in Hell am i finishing proust

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