THE TERENCE LETTER...
Let's start the week well by suggesting the translation of Terry's letter made by a Japanese lady (still living in Japan, a language graduate) to whom we proposed the text of the letter and nothing else. The person in question didn't even know about the existence of the final novel and started with:
′′ It's a love letter, what are you reading?"
This is his translation:
Candy Candy
Is there any change? Ci sono cambiamenti?
(But it's a typically Japanese expression so it's ok to translate it with ′′ how are you ′′ even though it actually has a slightly deeper meaning but that no Italian expression can render)
...... あれからー年たった. Its been a year since then...
ー niántattaramini lián luòshiyouto xīnni juémeteitaga, míinagara, sarani bàn niángasugiteshimatta. In my heart I had tried to write to you after a year but I couldn't decide it's been another six months...
sīi qiètte tóu hánsuru. So I write to you in jet...
bokuha hémo biànwatteinai. I'm still the same / I haven't changed at all (whatever you want, it doesn't change the meaning because it's evident from the whole letter that's talking about his feelings)
I don't know if this letter will reach, but I really wanted to tell you that. Non so se mai questa lettera ti arriverà ma volevo ad ogni modo che tu sapessi almeno questo.
T.G.
*****
Finally we proposed to her the reading of the Italian official translation and she confirmed that it is a wonderful translation that absolutely mirrors the emotions that flow from those lines.
Nice translation too, right? What do you think?
Wonderful fan art is by Nuria
