#048- The Precious Secret of Translation to Help You Learn a Foreign Language!

#048- In this episode Gabi describes the number one secret translation holds for language learners.

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Transcript

 Welcome to the Learning Languages in Society with Gabby podcast, where it's all about the fascinating world of languages and culture. Let's rock! 

Hello language lovers and welcome back to Learning Languages in Society with Gabby. Today's episode is going to reveal a special trick that most language learners don't even think about. Translation. Now, before you think I'm just talking about grabbing a dictionary or an app to translate words, well, think again.

This isn't about translation apps. We're going to go way deeper. By the end of this episode, you'll see how translation as a skill, and I mean truly understanding it, not just the surface level, can make a huge difference in how deeply you understand the language, its grammar, and how meanings unfold.

You'll find out why translators dive headfirst into research and why translation demands a lot of mental effort and focus. I'll even tell you about the time I had to translate a Russian novel by Chekhov into Catalan. I thought it would be straightforward and well, it turned out to be something completely different.

I needed a lot of research, historical knowledge, and endless hours of deep focus just to get one chapter to sound right.  So, grab your headphones, get comfortable, and let's uncover the secrets of how translation can totally change the way you learn a language.  So, translation. Is it more than just words? 

Well, let's dive into what I mean by translation and why it's so powerful. Most people think of translation as just changing one language into another, right? But that's a huge oversimplification. Translation. Translation, especially if you're trying to do it accurately, requires you to understand the structure of sentences, grammar, and even the historical or cultural contexts.

And it isn't just a matter of swapping out vocabulary. It's about fitting the pieces of a puzzle together, where each piece is shaped by the meaning behind it.  When I say translation can change how you learn a language. I mean that by doing translation work, you're forced to look under the hood of the language you're learning. 

So why translation is like a workout for your brain. Well, think about it this way. When you try to translate, you're suddenly the one responsible for making sure that every single word and phrase is translated. carries that the meaning it's supposed to. In regular language learning, you might focus on vocabulary or pronunciation, but translation challenges you to go several levels deeper.

It's like a mental workout where every single line pushes you to test your understanding of grammar and meaning. For example, let's take something simple like translating the English sentence. She's happy. Translating this sentence into, let's say, Russian, means you have to know if happy is referring to a general state of happiness, a temporary feeling, or if it's describing a lasting personality trait.

This difference will actually affect which word you choose in Russian, which has its own set of words to describe happiness depending on the context and length of the feeling. And just this little example shows how translation starts pushing you to think carefully about meaning and grammar.  Okay, my first real lesson in translation was Chekhov's The Kingdom of Women.

So that's a novel that I translated, right? So let me open up about a project that taught me first hand how Translation challenge you to learn a language deeply. A while ago I decided to translate a story by Anton Chekhov, Babi Tsarstva, which translates  or which I translated into  into, into Catalan as the Alregna de las Donas, or in English that would be the Kingdom of Women, okay?

I thought it'd be relatively simple, honestly, I mean I had a good command of Russian and Catalan, my native language, it's my native language as well, so how hard could it be, right? Well, I'll tell you, it was a steep learning curve. First off, Chekhov's works are loaded with references to Russian society and history, especially from the late 19th century.

This wasn't just about translating his words, it was about capturing the social dynamics of that era. I quickly realized that I needed to understand the different socio economic classes in Russia. of Chekhov's time. If I was going to make this translation accurate,  Chekhov's the kingdom of women centers on women's social roles, the expectations on them and their interactions with men.

Now, if you're going to translate that story in a way that makes sense to a Catalan speaking reader, you need to know about these social expectations back then, not just in modern Russia. but in Catalonia as well. Additionally, the novel deals with the hard lives of the Russian working class, their struggles with alcoholism and the hardships they had to endure to merely survive. 

So here's where the real work really began. I had to immerse myself in the socioeconomic and historical background of Chekhov's Russia. As I said before, the characters in the Kingdom of represent a range of social classes. from the landowning elite to the working class. And Chekhov doesn't go easy on his readers either.

He uses terminology that was common at the time, but is now outdated or regional. Imagine being halfway through translating a sentence and then realizing that the term Chekhov used doesn't even have a modern meaning. Russian equivalent, let alone a Catalan one. That meant I had to go hunting for context. 

For one term, I had to search through historical papers and even consult some obscure dictionaries that kind of listed out of use words from the 19th century Russian.  When you're doing this kind of work. You're not only learning vocabulary, you're putting together an entire culture. You're seeing how language and social norms are bound together, how grammar and vocabulary interact with the rules and customs of a society. 

Okay, let's talk about, let's talk about the intrigue of finding just the right word. Now, let me tell you, there's a mix of excitement and frustration that comes with trying to find just the right word when you're translating something like this. On one hand, it's exhilarating. Like, solving a mystery, but on the other hand, it can be incredibly frustrating.

I'd spend hours trying to translate a single sentence, making sure that the exact tone and meaning were preserved. And sometimes the modern Catalan language doesn't have the same connotations or history as the words in Chekhov's Russian.  So one day, I was working on a passage where Chekhov describes the atmosphere of a small Russian town, mentioning certain societal hierarchies and the rural elite's  lifestyle.

There were terms that had no modern equivalent, and some were expressions that would only make sense if you knew what rural Russian villages looked like back then. I felt both joy and sadness. Joy because I was learning so much and sadness because I couldn't I couldn't directly transfer that knowledge to my readers I had to find workarounds sometimes adding little nuances or choosing descriptive alternate alternatives That captured the same essence in Catalan  now the secret cognitive benefits of translation I've spoken about this in in other episodes about the cognitive benefits Of, of translation about how important it is for your brain.

So what are these cognitive secrets here? Why does translation make such a huge difference in language learning? Well, it's the mental discipline that translation builds. Translation forces you to think about the grammar and meaning of every word choice you make instead of passively reading or listening.

Translation requires you to understand the internal logic of a language. For instance, in Russian, the way verbs and verb aspects are structured makes you think about actions very differently than you would in English or Catalan. Translating these verbs forces you to understand not just the action, but the timing, continuity, and completeness of that action.

By wrestling with these grammatical differences, you're training your brain to think in the new language.  Now the practical challenge of adapting all expressions. Translation also has a practical side, one that involves a lot of creative problem solving. When I worked on the Kingdom of Women, I realized that some phrases were just too rooted in Russian history to translate directly into Catalan.

Some expressions refer to specific economic conditions, objects, or even foods that were popular in Russia at the time, but aren't widely known in Catalonia. One expression described a type of bread that was commonly baked in rural Russian households. Translating that to Catalan wouldn't, wouldn't have the same impact because the cultural familiarity isn't there.

So I had to find a culturally equivalent term or add a few words of explanation to keep the stories flow while making sense to Catalan readers. So you see how hard that is. And this is exactly where translation helps with learning by trying to translate a concept that doesn't directly exist in your language You're building mental flexibility, which believe me is key to mastering a language  Now the challenge of modern versus historical language  while translating literature offers One set of challenges, let me tell you about a completely different translation experience that was equally eye opening.

This was back when I was taking on more translation projects to improve my skills, and I was working on a non fiction text that Explore the social history of Russia, similar to Chekhov's time, but focus more on political movements and uprisings. This project taught me how translation reveals the different layers of meaning, even within the same language, depending on time, context, and tone.

This translation required extensive historical research because the text included terms and events that had. layered Political meanings in Russia, but wouldn't automatic automatically translate with the same implications in Catalan What I thought would be a simple translation turned into a full blown research project Each time each term had its own nuances and it was a big reminder that It's an interpretative one. 

Now let's focus on why translating changes how you see grammar. When you translate, you're also training yourself to see grammar as an active tool rather than something you passively learn. So let's talk about pronouns for a minute. In Russian, for example, formal and informal pronouns indicate a degree of social hierarchy and respect.

Uh, Catalan has a similar system, but the nuance is a bit different. So translating sentences with you forms meant I had to pick up on the relationship between the characters, then decide if they'd stay. Speak to each other formally or informally in Catalan. This process made me pay more attention to how relationships are marked through language.

So you can see social codes come to life through grammar and translating helps you practice and understand these subtleties, which is essential for truly understanding a new language. It's fascinating because when you're translating, you're learning to see hidden layers in every line.  Okay, so by now I hope, uh, you're starting to see why translation is, uh, such a powerful tool for language learning.

It isn't just about learning more vocabulary or memorizing sentence structures. It's about understanding a language deeply enough to see how culture, history, and grammar interact. Translation makes you dig into the why behind language rules, and that's where real learning happens. If you're looking for ways to improve your language skills, I strongly recommend adding some translation exercises to your practice routine.

You don't have to translate entire novels, of course, but try talking, sorry, try taking a small paragraph, a poem, or even a news article in your target language. Challenge yourself to translate it accurately and in a way that represents the original tone and meaning. This process will train you to recognize language patterns.

Idiomatic expressions and subtle grammar rules that you might miss otherwise.  Plus, it'll teach you the art of capturing meaning, not just words, which is at the heart of true language learning.  After digging deep into how translation isn't just about words, it's about meaning, grammar and cultural nuance,  well, today we're adding another layer.

We're going to explore how translating literature, especially the 19th century Russian novels, opens up an entirely new world of insight into human nature. Now, if you're wondering why you'd care about translating older Russian novels, think about this. These works by authors like Chekhov or Dostoyevsky teach us what it means to be human in times of both hardship and joy.

They capture resilience, compassion, suffering, and triumph, qualities that humanity is still trying to understand. The lessons in these novels aren't just for literary buffs. They're for anyone facing struggles, from global crisis to personal obstacles. And I'll even share a story about the time I translated a Russian play for the Teatr Nacional de Catalunya, which is the National Theater of Catalonia, where the main character's story about love and perseverance was a true masterclass in resilience. 

So, translating 19th century Russian novels, a deep dive into human nature. First, let's take a look at why the great Russian authors of the 19th century hold such a deep appeal and why their themes are still relevant today. Well, authors like, uh, Anton Chekhov and Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy weren't just storytellers.

They were thinkers, philosophers, and observers of human behavior. Through their works, they offered readers a lens to view not only Russian society, but also the timeless struggles of people everywhere.  What's interesting is how they captured The intricacies of human emotions in such a raw and honest ways.

Reflecting the darkest and most resilient parts of the human spirit. When I translate their work, I feel like I'm unlocking not just a language, but layers upon layers of insights into what makes us all so, well, human. Translating Chekhov's work, for instance, was like entering a dialogue with him. 

Dissecting his words to understand not only his character's feelings, but their motivations, their dreams, their fears, the building blocks of human experience.  Now, translating for the National Theater of Catalonia, that was quite a, quite an experience. So let me share it with you. Um, a story that I kind of hold close to my heart.

I was once invited to translate a Russian play for this theater and it was, uh, one of the most rewarding experiences and I'll tell you why. Translating this play wasn't just about making sure that the, well, the Catalan translation sounded authentic. It was about capturing the heart of the, of a character whose story was filled with suffering, but also resilience and hope.

It was one of those really. traumatized characters that you see in Russian novels, right?  In the play, the main character who had faced more than his fair share of challenges tells his story advocating through every setback and every moment of heartbreak  that perseverance and love are the ultimate sources of freedom and strength, right?

That's kind of like the, the, the bottom line of the whole thing, right? To understand that  being perseverant and, and, and pushing through is like what renders you free. This character's journey taught me a lot, not just as a translator, but as someone who's also faced ups and downs. There's something about the way the playwright presented suffering, not as something to be ashamed of or.

To be avoided, but it's part of life and, and part of life that can lead to profound freedom when you love unconditionally, he seemed to say, you're no longer tied down by fear or failure.  You.  You have something stronger that keeps you moving forward. And the way the character showed resilience reminded me of the strength we see in the real world every day, especially in the face of adversity, right?

As I translated each scene, I realized how universal his message was. Here was a story written for a 19th century russian audience, yet it resonated deeply with a modern catalan one, with a modern catalan audience. Right? Okay. Why 19th century Russian novels still matter today? So why should we worry about this?

Well, here's the beauty of translating these old Russian works. Even though the world they describe is vastly different from ours, the lessons they offer are kind of timeless. I mean, obviously the cultural setting in Russia at the time was completely different to the cultural setting we have today, uh, in modern Russia.

And it's also different to the rest of Europe on the rest of the world in a way, right? If you think about what Dusty UFC explored in crime and punishment, so like the weight of guilt, the hope for redemption on the moral challenges that come with human weakness. It's not just a story about one man's crime.

It's a reflection on justice and human fallibility. How often do we. They'll see this play out today from corporate scandals to political upheaval. The idea of guilt responsibility and seeking redemption is something the world wrestles with over and over. Similarly, when I was translating that play for the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya, I realized how much these characters believe in the power of love and resilience could inspire people far beyond a theater audience.

Take the challenges we face globally today, like wars, financial crisis, economic uncertainty, and so on. In each scene I translated, I found parallels to how people confront these challenges. It reminded me that While our circumstances may change, human nature doesn't. We still find strength in each other,  which is the, you know, the good thing.

We still fight for what we believe in, and we still have the power to find hope even in the darkest times.  So, translating these works isn't just about rendering words from Russian to Catalan, as you might have guessed by all the  By all the things that I've said so far,  uh, it's about rediscovery, right?

When these stories can teach us about human resilience and compassion and survival. Chekhov's short stories, for instance, are brimming with observations about daily lives of Russian peasants, aristocrats, and everyone in between. The socioeconomic struggles they faced might look different today, but the essence of the experience is struggling for meaning, trying to make a living, hoping for a better future, Is universal while working on the kingdom of women  I realized how important it was to capture the humanity of each character Okay, notice that the translation in donas But i'm just translating it in um in english so that you guys understand what i'm saying the kingdom of women, right?

When tchajov wrote about how people coped with loss. It wasn't just a story about those specific people It was a message about the courage to endure they need to hold on to something meaningful You and the way communities come together in times of hardship. Translating these stories was like Peeling back layers of human behavior, getting to the roots of why we feel, act and struggle the way we do. 

Okay. Now the emotional impact of translation. Let's talk about the emotional side of translating, especially with works that are as deep as, and complex, uh, as this 19th century Russian novels and plays. Translating a work that delves into human suffering isn't always easy. You cannot just brush over a character's grief.

Or downplay their joy. It's important to stay true to the emotions that the author intended while making sure they resonate with a different audience in a different language. I remember one particular scene in the play I was translating for the National Theater of Catalonia. Now the character in a moment of intense vulnerability speaks about how he's managed to keep going despite everything that's happened.

He reflects on his life, the pain he's endured, and how love has given him strength. Uh, he never knew he had. Translating that scene was almost overwhelming because I felt like I was carrying this character's pain and resilience through my own words. I wanted the Catalan audience to feel what he felt. So to understand the raw power of his story, it was a reminder that translation isn't just technical, it's personal and emotional, and it can bring our parts,  it can bring out parts of yourself you didn't know, uh, existed. 

Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering, okay, how can these lessons from Russian novels actually help us face real world challenges? Well, think about the resilience that so many characters in these novels demonstrate.  They face poverty, political turmoil.  Uh, turmoil, family conflicts, and yet they don't give up. 

When I think about the world today with all the, with all its uncertainty, these stories remind me that we've been through hardships before. Humanity has seen financial crisis, wars, and societal struggles, and yet we continue to endure. Now the play I translated, for example, wasn't just about one's character, uh, one, one character's resilience.

It was about how he found freedom through love and determination. So I realized this same message could apply to people facing financial crisis, for example, or even recovering from war.  It's harder than it seems, obviously. I mean, resilience is about finding something worth holding on to, something that gives you strength and purpose.

And the fact that this message from a Russian play written over a century ago still holds true is a testament to that. To the power of these stories.  One of the most rewarding parts of translating literature, especially from a different time and culture is the realization that human nature is universal.

So no matter where we are in the world or what language we speak, we all experience loss, hope, love, and resilience. We all look for ways to make sense of our lives, especially when things are, are tough. Right? So translating lets us tap into this universal themes and share them across cultural boundaries.

Transcribed When I translated that play, I felt like I was creating a bridge between Russian and Catalan cultures, if you know what I mean. Like showing the Catalan audience could relate to a story written by someone on the other side of the world, like a hundred years ago, right? So this isn't just about translating text.

It's about making these emotions, these insights accessible to everyone. In a way, translation helps remind us that we're all part of one big interconnected human family.  So what does all of this mean for you as a language learner? Well, translation offers you a window into the culture, the history, and the human nature that language alone cannot fully capture.

It kind of forces you to go beyond vocabulary and grammar and pushes you to think about why people speak and write the way they do.  It's a powerful tool for connecting with other people, for building empathy, and for understanding the world at a deeper level. If you're learning a language, you can use it to help you understand the world around you.

It's  Try translating a story or a poem or a poem from your target language, or even take a short scene from a play. So let yourself  be challenged by the emotions and meanings behind the words.  You'll not only improve your language skills, but you'll also gain a better understanding of what it means to be human. 

Now, here's an example of a poem written by one of the greatest Russian poets named Sergei Yesenin. We're going to focus on this short piece of one of his poems, and then I will provide the English translation made by him. by Kristina Grinenko and see what she did. So, the name of the poem is Ne zhaleyu, plachu. 

And it starts like this.

Не жалею, не зову, не плачу...

Не жалею, не зову, не плачу,
Всё пройдёт, как с белых яблонь дым.
Увяданья золотом охваченный,
Я не буду больше молодым.

Ты теперь не так уж будешь биться,
Сердце, тронутое холодком,
И страна берёзового ситца
Не заманит шляться босиком.

Дух бродяжий, ты всё реже, реже
Расшевеливаешь пламень уст.
О моя утраченная свежесть,
Буйство глаз и половодье чувств.

Okay, so I then, uh, I now will provide the translation in English. 


No regrets, no cries, no pain 
will ever touch my heart like blossoms touch a tree. 
Withering with autumn, I will never be the young man that I used to be.  
You my heart are slowing down already as you're freezing inch by inch inside barefooted wild me.
How upsetting won't be running in the countryside. 
Wanderlust, my passion and my nature, you don't make me tremble with delight, like you used to. 
Now, I lost my features, laughing eyes and feeling running wild.  


Okay, so let's analyze a little bit the translation.  Grinenko's translation manages to capture many of, uh, Yesenin's core ideas, although it adapts phrasing to suit English poetic conventions, which is, I think, right, is the right thing to do.

Thank you. So let's examine some of these specific translation challenges that arise and analyze how her choices impact the result. So, linguistic challenges, conveying nuances and word associations. One of the first, one of the first challenges is the set of initial emotions in the line Ne jaleyu, ne zavunyo plachu.

I do not regret Nor call nor weep. The original Russian negates each emotion directly using the phrase ne, no or not for rhythmic emphasis reinforcing the speaker's calm detachment  Grinenko translates this as no regrets, no cries, no pain will ever touch my heart like blossoms touch a tree, using the word pain to replace plachu, to weep.

While pain shifts the meaning slightly, it preserves the emotional context of the speaker reflecting on loss without sorrow.  Additionally, Grinenko's phrase like blossoms touch a tree attempts to keep the idea of dim smoke that rises and dissipates from yablon apple trees in Yesin's original. The substitution of blossoms touch a tree changes the visual from smoke to a softer image of petals which maintains the  ethereal tone.

Although blossoms alters the original's symbolism,  it effectively conjures fragility and transience.  So I think it was a pretty good translation right there now, double meanings and associations in the line withering with autumn. I will never be the young man that I used to be. Grinenko conveys, conveys the idea of uh, like withering.

In a more accessible form. Yes, in its phrase, 

literally  enveloped in the gold of withering, kind of evokes a specific image of tum where aging is embraced as part of nature. So Gren co condenses this to with withering, with autumn, simplifying the line for clarity, though it misses the nuance gold that symbolizes beauty.  A beauty in decline. Now this choice subtly changes the mood moving original's warm imagery toward a more neutral, inevitable feeling of age. 

Yesen's poem has a gentle musicality with a rhythm that feels natural and unhurried.  His use of rhyme and meter creates a  kind of like a meditative effect. which Grinenko adapts to fit English poetry structure. However, English natural prosody differs from Russian, which introduces unique challenges in preserving both the meaning and flow of the original.

So, Yesenin's original follows an  ABAP rhyme scheme, lending a melodic quality to his reflections. And Grinenko uses this rhyme scheme as well, but English's linguistic structure sometimes forces longer, more complex lines. For example, Withering with autumn, I will never be the young man that I used to be. 

Retains the rhyme while lengthening Yesenin's line. The added syllables impact the poem spacing, making it feel slower than yes, an in concise Russian. Another challenge appears in the line, you, my heart, are slowing down already as you're freezing inch by inch side, the original line,  com, hard touched by a chill.

It's sparse and restrained. Grinenko's slowing down already and friends an inch by inch inside adds a degree of explicitness that intensifies the tone, which may shift the reader's emotional response to something more melancholic than Yesenin intended.  Okay, rhythm and alliteration. Grinenko's use of alliteration in, uh, laughing eyes,  and feelings running wild helps maintain some of Yesenin's original poetic effect, mirroring the consonant rich lines in Russian.

These lines evoke youthful energy, paralleling Yesenin's phrase,  riot of the eyes and a flood of feelings. Though it shifts slightly toward a more modern individualistic perspective, as laughing eyes and running wild lose the collective sense of overflowing emotions.  It's still pretty good. I think.

Yesen's poetry is full of symbols unique to Russian culture, many of which carry specific connotations that are difficult to translate without extensive explanation. For example, in the line, And the land  of birth  of  birch patterned chins Yesenin uses Purchase, a classic symbol in Russian literature, representing the homeland, simplicity and purity.

The mention of  tsitsam, so chins, recalls rural Russian life, simplicity and nostalgia for a pastoral landscape. In English, Grinenko renders this as barefooted, wild me. How upsetting. Won't be running in the countryside. This choice conveys the speaker's nostalgia, but moves away from the specific image of birch trees and chintz.

Barefooted, Wild Me captures the speaker's untamed youth, but does not convey the Russian connection to birches and their symbolism. This adjustment may make the line more accessible to English readers, but removes the depth of the cultural reference, highlighting the cultural gap that translators.

Translator must off navigate.  Yesenin's tone is calm and reflective, portraying an acceptance of aging without self pity. Grinenko's English translation, with its lines like, You, my heart, are slowing down already, introduces a tone that might be read as slightly mournful, which shifts the poem's subtle resignation into a more melancholy feeling.

Translating Yesenin's quiet acceptance, is a delicate task. As English readers, my interpret even slight changes in tone as either overly sentimental or distant. Grinenko's rendering walks a fine line between retaining the original stoicism and making it relatable to an English audience.  Anyway,  Translating Yesenin's work into English reveals the intricate, multi layered challenges of poetry translation, which is really hard.

The task requires balancing  literal meaning, cultural nuance, and poetic form, all while preserving the original's emotional impact. Grinenko's translation brings Yesenin's themes to life for an English speaking audience, even as certain cultural and linguistic subtleties remain elusive.  In poetry, these subtle compromises are inevitable, and each decision shapes the final product in ways that reflect the translator's interpretation and artistic choices. 

And that wraps up today's deep dive into the incredible journey of translating poetry and translating in general. I hope this episode gave you a sense of just how complex, beautiful and even mysterious translation can be. From cultural symbols and rhythm To capturing those tiny nuances that carry so much weight.

Translating a poem is like exploring a new world. One word, one feeling at a time. Whether you're learning a language or just love discovering how words shape human experience, translation invites you to see language as so much more than just communication. If you enjoyed this episode, don't please forget to subscribe and share it with anyone who's fascinated by language, literature, uh, or the art of storytelling.

And as always, leave a comment or drop me a message with your thoughts on Spotify, um, or my website. And until next time on Learning Languages in Society with Gabi. So keep exploring, keep connecting, and let language open new doors for you. Spasiba, gracias, and thank you for listening. Bye bye.