Posted: Oct 30, 2011 11:46 am
mraltair wrote:Lion IRC wrote:The_Metatron wrote:I'm not at all sure that speakers of any particular language are privy to any completely unique ideas. It may be perfectly impossible to directly translate on a one for one word basis. But, if my first premise is true, then what could exist to prevent the expression of any idea from one language to another?
Indeed!
I'm with The_Metatron on this.
Halloween weirdness. Me and thee agreeing.
I'm not a words man but an explanation isn't the same as a translation. For example, if you were translating a Tshiluban (?) book into English and you reached "ilunga" you would have no English equivalent to use. You could explain it's meaning, and the idea is nothing an English speaker couldn't experience and describe, but there is no English equivalent for 'ilunga' so is untranslatable (into English). You would have to use 'ilunga' and introduce it into English, like people have done with schadenfreude.
That's if I understand your point.
I've tried to point that out earlier in this thread, but to no avail, apparently.
If a word needs an explanation consisting of several sentences, or in a given sentence needs several words to convey the meaning, then it's not a translation:
I cherish every second with you, my love.
Ich liebe, schätze, bewahre, halte jede Sekunde mit Dir in Ehren, mein Liebster.
See the difference? And even all these German words in combination do not express the exact same thing.