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August 17th, 2007
It was a dark and stormy night...
.... like you start the worst novel in the world, according to some professional association. But so it was. I have started to paint windows this summer, once it was fine weather- but since we have tens of windows, and they are old-fashioned, wooden ones in our old house - and we want to restore them, as well as the house - it takes a lot of time and I did not have that time then, to finish the project. Then it has been raining, or we have been away from home - always something. Now that I am finally on holiday, I would have time but the weather has been so rainy and also so humid for long already that all the wooden frames of the windows have been absorbing humidity from the air and cannot be painted right now. So while enjoying the romantic atmosphere of the stormy and dark nights we are hoping for dry weather to get at least the south-facing windows painted this summer. If only they'd dry some first!
The other day, India celebrated her 60th anniversary. I have always been interested in India - first because at school I had a pen pal there - it was a habit that time. I still know this person and we keep in touch. And now also our daughters mail to each other, which especially delights us both. Our friendship has been going on for more than 30 years. It would be nice to meet in reality sometimes too. Maybe when our children get a bit older we can travel so far! - When studying, one summer I had no job and no money either but did not want to bother my family with that and lived with a very narrow budget. Then I saw an announcement in a newspaper - Indian Kathakali Dance Theatre would perform in a near-by town. Had the feeling that I must see it, once it comes so near. I had just enough money for the bus ticket so off I went - and it was really worth it. I then made the other of my two final research works in the university about the Indian Kathakali Dance Theatre. So inspired I was!
I wonder how often it is so that our interest towards something - culture, hobby, habit, faith, country, whatever - arises from people we meet. Yesterday I met someone, from a foreign country, and he asked me if I spoke his native language. (Worldwide, it is not spoken much outside his country). I said I was sorry I did not, but then I think a devil went into me and I asked whether he spoke my native tongue (we are a smaller nation, true..). So quess what he answered? "Of course not." Perhaps he meant that practically no foreigner can speak our language (worldwide, it is true again, but I am astonished by how many actually can anyway). So maybe it is better to stay polite about not knowing some language than take it for granted. Or suppose others take it for granted.
Read an article about Bible translators. Had never come to think about it but there was an interesting point. A translator said that when you translate a novel you have your freedom, to a certain extend. But when you translate the Bible, you have to be exact. You cannot write "a little bit that way". And that means you have to know both languages really well - and also the world of the Bible. And not enough with that: even though you know tha languages, you can still make fatal mistakes if you don't know the culture.
There is a delicious description about these misunderstandings in Barbara Kingsolver's novel "The Poisonwood Bible", which tells about an American missionary worker family in Congo before WW2. It is fictionary but really good. After having read that, I had to start studying the history of colonialism in Central Africa. Had before studied just India and knew some (very little) about North Africa. Will try to list some books if I succeed, after having finished this.
The other day, India celebrated her 60th anniversary. I have always been interested in India - first because at school I had a pen pal there - it was a habit that time. I still know this person and we keep in touch. And now also our daughters mail to each other, which especially delights us both. Our friendship has been going on for more than 30 years. It would be nice to meet in reality sometimes too. Maybe when our children get a bit older we can travel so far! - When studying, one summer I had no job and no money either but did not want to bother my family with that and lived with a very narrow budget. Then I saw an announcement in a newspaper - Indian Kathakali Dance Theatre would perform in a near-by town. Had the feeling that I must see it, once it comes so near. I had just enough money for the bus ticket so off I went - and it was really worth it. I then made the other of my two final research works in the university about the Indian Kathakali Dance Theatre. So inspired I was!
I wonder how often it is so that our interest towards something - culture, hobby, habit, faith, country, whatever - arises from people we meet. Yesterday I met someone, from a foreign country, and he asked me if I spoke his native language. (Worldwide, it is not spoken much outside his country). I said I was sorry I did not, but then I think a devil went into me and I asked whether he spoke my native tongue (we are a smaller nation, true..). So quess what he answered? "Of course not." Perhaps he meant that practically no foreigner can speak our language (worldwide, it is true again, but I am astonished by how many actually can anyway). So maybe it is better to stay polite about not knowing some language than take it for granted. Or suppose others take it for granted.
Read an article about Bible translators. Had never come to think about it but there was an interesting point. A translator said that when you translate a novel you have your freedom, to a certain extend. But when you translate the Bible, you have to be exact. You cannot write "a little bit that way". And that means you have to know both languages really well - and also the world of the Bible. And not enough with that: even though you know tha languages, you can still make fatal mistakes if you don't know the culture.
There is a delicious description about these misunderstandings in Barbara Kingsolver's novel "The Poisonwood Bible", which tells about an American missionary worker family in Congo before WW2. It is fictionary but really good. After having read that, I had to start studying the history of colonialism in Central Africa. Had before studied just India and knew some (very little) about North Africa. Will try to list some books if I succeed, after having finished this.
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