In this podcast episode, Dr. David Bellos, a professor at Princeton, discusses his journey into translation and his book on translation ' Is that a Fish in your ear' . Dr. Bellos began translating in the 1980s and emphasises that translation has always been a balance between self-expression and scholarship. He also touches on the challenges of humor in translation and the complexity of dealing with a third language (L3) in texts. Dr. Bellos also discusses his course, 'Great Books from Little Languages,' where students read recent works translated from less dominant languages. The episode,also covers the issue of copyright in modern culture, which he teaches about at Princeton.

(00:12) Introduction and Background of Dr. David Bellows

(01:06) Journey into Translation

(02:29) Advantages of Being an Academician

(03:31) Writing Biographies: Jacques Vistati and Georges Perec

(06:02)The Art of Translation: Challenges and Insights

(21:53) The Role of Copyright in Modern Culture

(23:27) Broadening the Canon: Exploring Lesser Known Languages

(26:11) Reflections on a Lifetime of Translation

(27:32) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Link for the Transcription :

https://harshaneeyam.in/2024/02/16/bellos/

David won the first Man Booker International Prize in 2005 for his translation of works by Albanian author Ismail Kadare.

He was educated at Oxford and teaches French and Comparative Literature at Princeton, where he also directs the Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication. He has written biographies of Georges Perec and Jacques Tati that have been translated into many languages and an introduction to translation studies, Is That A Fish in Your Ear? He has translated numerous authors from French (Perec, Vargas, Kadare, Simenon, Antelme, Fournel) and offers a new understanding of the extraordinary life and work of Romain Gary in Romain Gary A Tall Story. His latest book is a study of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables.

His latest Publication is about the History of Copyright.

Use the following link to buy the book - "Is that a fish in your ear'

https://bit.ly/3I23TQw

Photo Credits:

https://ptic.princeton.edu/news-announcements/david-bellos-fish-your-ear-book-about-translation

https://complit.princeton.edu/people/david-bellos

https://www.historiamag.com/historia-interviews-david-bellos/

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