Republic of the Philippines

DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL STATE

UNIVERSITY
Bacolor, Pampanga
Graduate School
Jomar M. Macapagal

Master of Arts in Education Major in English

Translation

I. Overview

Literature as an art has demanded to be appreciated. More than the

demand of appreciation, in the past years, the initiative of the people to give

importance and appreciation to literature has begun to flourish. The

flamboyance of literature has caught the attention of the literary enthusiasts

and the common readers to take a profound understanding on it. Translation is

one of the means to extend the arms of literature to a certain extent that it is

appreciated properly.

Translation gives a clear view on the bind that connects both literature and

language. As part of the umbrella of English, translation has become a tool to

further communicate literature to the other people using a common language

for a better understanding to happen. Translation is a way of making a literary

text be more familiar to the people who cannot understand its source or

original language.

There are three languages involved in translation: The Source language,

the Target language and the Inner language. These three languages are

intertwined for they are all a requisite of each other.

II. Principles of Translation

1. Hans Georg Gadamer- He believes that reading is already translation and

tr. He said that the process of translating comprises in its essence the

whole secret of human understanding of the world and of social

communication.

2. Gregory Rabasa- He firmly stands that a translation can never equal the

original since the word is the metaphor for the object. According to him,

translation can be called an act of transformation that adapts a new

metaphor to the original metaphor. He also said that translation is process

of choice and consequently, never a finished process. Rabasa emphasized

that translation is not aiming for equality and he said “All objects, alive or

otherwise, are thoroughly individual in spite of close resemblance.”

3. Walter Benjamin- Benjamin deliberately sought to dissociate translations

(and literature generally)from their readerships: “In the appreciation of a

work of art or an art form, considerationof the receiver never proves

fruitful.” . In doing so, he chose toignore the consideration that the

translator, as a receiver of the original and the linkbetween this and the

translated text, deserves. Also, that translations which are produced for

commercial purposes (as most translations of literary works are) are biased

by the expectations of their audiences, who often look more for the

likeness to the original which Benjamin claims would make translation

impossible, than for a reflection of pure language and a significance which

may link all languages.

 4. Donald Frame- Frame adheres to “ Free literary translation.” He presented

the pleasure and problems of translation; tenses, politeness and

impoliteness, tone and balance, measurement and meaning,

plays(verse,rhymed and unrhymed), dialect “patois,” titles and simplicity

of the text.

5. Wiliam Weaver- in his book titled “The Process of Translation” he details

his thought processes in translating a portion of Gadda to English. In it, he

says: The words of the original are only the starting point; a translator

must do more than convey information (a literary translator, that is).And

in amazing detail he takes the reader through all the concerns he has about

maintaining the author's original style and intentions, while making it

accessible to readers from a different culture. And then, to finish: Once a

translation of mine is published, I never re-read it. I know that, if I did, I

would soon be reaching for a pencil, to make further additions and

subtractions, in the futile pursuit of a nonexistent perfection.

6. Edmund Keenley- he believes that translation is a betrayal. He also

believes that translation is a survical and is a necessity. Moreover, he said

that translation is collaboration between the translators.

III. Poet

Mr. Renato B. Alzadon is a Kapampangan Poet. He is known as a

defender and an advocate for the existence of his native language,

Kapampangan. He writes tirelessly in his native tongue. His writings were

published in two books, the “Kasaapunggul a Sampaga Volume I and Volume

II (Bunch of Flowers Volume I and II).

As a poet, he had reciived numerous awards. Lira Bambanense recognized

him as Prince of Poetry, Akadamyang Kapampangan as Poet Laureate,

Akademya ning Amanung Sisuan and Holy Angel University and

Poets  Laureate International as Poet laureate, and The Provincial Government

Of Pampanga and the College Of Poets  laureate as Ari Ning Parnaso or King

of Kapampangan literature.

At present, Alzadon regularly post his writing in Parnasong

Kapampangan, a kapampangan website on the internet as well as in Punto, a

widely read magazine in Central Luzon, Philippines.

Mr. Alzadon is married to Ms. Jeanette Nabora Capon, and is currently

residing at Baltimore Maryland, with his two children, Patrick and Justin.

His book titled “Kasapunggul a Sampanga” (A Bunch of Flowers) has

caught my attention. The title of the book has left me put on one’s thinking

cup, looking into the rationale of making the “sampaga” or flowers be the

center piece of its literary table. Aside from the pulchritude of the flowers that

are indeed enticing, what’s more interesting about his works is the metaphor

of the title itself that manifested in his compilations of poems. Every single

poem he has written possesses a beauty of a flower, and indeed his

compilations can be considered as a bunch of flowers.

Taking a glimpse on his compilations made me see how vivid he writes

that he is able to make the readers create an image in their minds. He has truly
 exemplified a pure Capampangan in his craft that is undeniably admirable. His

words are but words of a true and legend poet. Despite the depth and the

breadth of his works, his works still transcend effortlessly into the

understanding of the readers which makes his work so captivating.

The concepts that are apparent in his titles show the life, works and beauty

of the Capampangan culture and tradition. Aside from the cover of its book,

its content is what truly makes it outstanding.

IV. Poems

Renato Alzadon’s works in his book titled “Kasapunggul a Sampanga” (A

Bunch of Flowers) has instantly caught my attention. I offered a glimpse on its

content but it led me to engrossment. With the objective of looking for poems

to translate I chose the poems which titles have chained me with so much

enchantment and bewilderment. And the following poems are:

Original Translation

1. Cyclamen - Cyclamen

2. E’ra ka kalingwan - I won’t forget thee

3. Ing Ngeni - Today

4. Ing Sala - The LIGHT

5. Maligosu - Amargoso (bitter leaf)

6. Oras - Time

7. Panaun - Weather

8. Rosa - Rosa

9. Rosang tatu ` - Rose Tattoo

 10. Sampagang Rosas - The Rose

V. Principle of Translation applied in translating the Poems.

The different principles of translation give us different choices in

translating a literary text. After having learned the different principles of

translation I decided to use the principle of Gregory Rabasa. Knowing

Kapampangan language is not a guarantee that you can easily translate the poems.

Rabasa gives us the free choice to translate for he believes that that a translation

can never equal the original since the word is the metaphor for the object.

According to him, translation can be called an act of transformation that adapts a

new metaphor to the original metaphor. He also said that translation is process of

choice and consequently, never a finished process. Rabasa emphasized that

translation is not aiming for equality and he said “All objects, alive or otherwise,

are thoroughly individual in spite of close resemblance.”