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Articles by Tal Bachman
Keys and Kazoos On the Art of Translation, Part XV
As we've discovered over the past fourteen installments, there's a lot to the art of translation. Or I should say, to the art of excellent translation. Along the way, I've enjoyed reading the many insights from SteynOnline members. To me this feels like something of a collective quest to find rules—or at least, rules of thumb—to guide the process, especially when it comes to translating great literature, whether prose or poetry.
What's in a Rhyme On the Art of Translation, Part XIV
Throughout the last few installments we've been looking at Dante's Inferno as a case study in translating poetry. Bottom line so far: If we assume, with Chaucer, that iambic pentameter serves as an acceptable substitute for Dante's endecasillabo meter, and we support translations hewing as closely as possible to the original text, then we must say a few translators have done a fine job.
Iambic Pentameter On the Art of Translation, Part XIII
Last time, we compared a dozen translation samples of Dante's Inferno. We looked particularly at the extent to which translators reproduced the poem in meter (iambic pentameter in particular, since that's about as close to the Italian meter as we can hope to get). Of the twelve, four of the translators attempted no meter at all: no attempt at a light/heavy stress pattern, and no attempt at ten beat lines.
Dante's Inferno On the Art of Translation, Part XII
Tune in tomorrow as Tal Bachman will be behind the Clubland Q&A microphone fielding questions from Mark Steyn Club members live around the planet at 3pm North American Eastern Time/ 8pm in the UK. Last time, I mentioned that Chaucer developed iambic pentameter as a way to reproduce Italian's endecasillabo meter in English. So how often do English translators these days use iambic pentameter while translating endecasillabo? Not that often.
The First Finder of Our Fair Language On the Art of Translation, Part XI
I finished the last installment noting that translating The Aeneid into English using Virgil's idiosyncratic version of dactylic hexameter is effectively impossible—or at least, that the losses of meaning, readability, tone, word and line order, and flow, are too great to justify any such attempt. Same with Homer's dactylic hexameter (which Virgil emulated). It just doesn't work in English. The languages differ too much.
Sonic Effects On the Art of Translation, Part X
In our quest to discover guidelines for optimal translation, we considered last time how to translate the opening lines of The Aeneid. For a number of reasons, I proposed translating the book's first three words as "Of war and a man I sing", while also suggesting a footnote to explain that arma literally means "arms" (but metonymically refers to war).
Of War and a Man I Sing On the Art of Translation, Part IX
I finished my last piece with a draft of the first few paragraphs of Virgil's Aeneid. Let's look more closely at that draft and the original text to see what it reveals about the art of translation.
Make Rome Great Again On the Art of Translation, Part VIII
In Octavian's mind, only his famous poet-friend Virgil could write the story of Rome from its first days. Octavian's rich friend, Maecenas, agreed to fund the project. He would pay Virgil a salary and cover all research costs. The poet could work at his own pace, but the pressure was on. After years of brutal civil war—with peace finally arriving only a few months earlier—the frazzled Roman people needed this epic. Virgil knew it as well as anyone.
The Mother of All Crossroads On the Art of Translation, Part VII
You'd think someone who'd just won as much power as the 32 year old Octavian would appreciate a best-selling epic poem in praise of himself. Only fourteen years earlier, in 44 BC, the then-obscure teenager still expected to live a quiet life in his hometown of Velitrae. True, he did have family connections to the political big leagues 25 miles up the road in Rome; but as things stood, a lower-key path looked a lot more likely for the frail, bookish student. Alas, a quiet life was not to be.
On The Nature of Things On the Art of Translation, Part VI
Tune into tomorrow, Saturday, for a brand new episode of Mark Steyn on the Town at Serenade Radio at 5pm in the UK/ noon North American Eastern Time. Before I dive further into Virgil's use of pietas in The Aeneid, I pause to note we're in effect having the same discussion we had earlier over Homer's use of polytropos in The Odyssey, and Machiavelli's use of virtù in The Prince.
A Deeply Human Art On the Art of Translation, Part V
Tune into tomorrow, Saturday, for a brand new episode of Mark Steyn on the Town at Serenade Radio at 5pm in the UK/ noon North American Eastern Time. I hope last installment's little French example illustrated that to the extent a strictly literal or word-for-word translation is even possible, it would often result in (entirely avoidable) losses of meaning. But the real truth is that a strictly literal, "word-for-word" translation between languages is impossible. Languages don't work that way.
Strictly Literal On the Art of Translation, Part IV
Tune into tomorrow, Saturday, for a brand new episode of Mark Steyn on the Town at Serenade Radio at 5pm in the UK/ noon North American Eastern Time. My last installment wound up as yet another digression (what is wrong with me?), so before returning to Machiavelli's The Prince as a case study in translation, I want to zip back to where I left off two installments ago: Is there some specific set of principles which ought to guide the translation of great books? If so, what might they be?
The Pazzi Conspiracy On the Art of Translation, Part III
Maybe you're wondering why you should care about Machiavelli's virtù, or how it might appear in English translation. The truth is, I don't know that you should. Maybe I shouldn't, either. After all, it's likely none of us will ever run for office. Maybe Machiavelli's teachings have no relevance in any remotely civilized political system. Maybe they're far worse than irrelevant: maybe they're all entirely evil (as they appear), and in addition, would prove the ruin of both the people and their ruler.
Machiavelli's "The Prince" On the Art of Translation, Part II
I ran my fingers over the smooth walnut desktop. It certainly looked old enough. Could this really be the actual desk? It seemed very unlikely, but then, this was Europe, Italy, Tuscany. A lot of things - ancient by North American standards - were still around. I wandered into the next room - a small front room - then into the kitchen, then into a main dining area. I looked inside the small privy, poked around the recessed book shelves, examined the masonry around the fireplace.
On the Art of Translation: A Personal Introduction
Programming Note: Mark will be hosting Live Around the Planet tomorrow (Wednesday, July 8), so get your questions ready. The whole team at Steyn HQ is grateful to Tal and Laura for hosting these past few weeks. Tal remains on standby as Mark continues to recover and in the meantime, today, Tal launches his new series on the art of translation. A few positive SteynOnline comments on my last article was all the encouragement I needed to start up a new series on the art of translation.
An Odyssey to Ignore, Part VI
Okay, let's wrap this up. First, my two cents about Homeric literary journeys: If we're going to read Homer, we ought to read him right. Get the full Homer experience. That first means reading an excellent translation. It also means learning the backstory before diving in. It might mean taking things a bit slower than usual, and consulting the odd commentary or podcast. That's a bit more intellectual effort, but then, the rewards will be far greater. What rewards, exactly?
Girl Power An Odyssey to Ignore, Part V
As the #MeToo year of 2017 rolled toward winter, women across the land continued to rage. Like numberless rivulets flowing in from mountain, hill, and plain, the accusations of abuse - wholly true, partly-true, and wholly fabricated - all eventually combined into one great flood, saturating everything. That meant social media posts, water cooler conversation, magazine articles, TV interviews, human resource policies, proposed legislation and beyond.
An Odyssey to Ignore, Part IV
There's not much more to say about Christopher Nolan's forthcoming movie, The Odyssey, until it appears this July. Homer fan that I am, I hope the movie turns out to be much better than early indications suggest. If it does, I'll be thrilled my concerns were misplaced. But regardless of how the movie turns out, there's an odd little side story to this whole thing. It might be of interest to SteynOnline readers. The story goes like this: In November 2017, book publisher W. W.
An Odyssey To Ignore, Part III
After surveying the online debates, I think people are missing the most important thing about all this. It's not, as some say, that demography is always irrelevant to a story or character. But it's also not that because The Odyssey is a story about Greeks, written down by a Greek author, taking place in Greek-speaking areas, Nolan's version — or any other version — must only feature Greeks. Or even some Greeks.
An Odyssey to Ignore, Part II
SteynOnline Clubbers may have noticed there was no Q&A today. That is because we're saving it for Friday (3 p.m. American East Coast Time) as we will have two (not just one, but two) special guests! Tomorrow, we'll have Laura's Links as usual, and below, Tal's Odyssey continues. As I was saying last time, controversy has been building around British film director Christopher Nolan's forthcoming film, The Odyssey, since last year. And it's only intensifying as the release date approaches (July 17).
Tal Bachman: An Odyssey To Ignore?
The team at SteynOnline is delighted to welcome Tal Bachman back to these pages. This is the first of several forthcoming columns by Tal. Enjoy! This is the first topic I've ever written about which probably shouldn't be written about at all. By anyone. Anywhere. Based on all indications so far, the best way to treat director Christopher Nolan's forthcoming movie, The Odyssey (starring Matt Damon as Odysseus) is simply to ignore it. Never mention it. Certainly not see it.
Dear Old Testament God, Maybe It's Time For A Comeback Tour
Posted by Judy W. — Post Reply Maybe it's age, but I'm starting to warm up to the God of the Old Testament big-time. That's the one you're not supposed to like. The one you're supposed to feel embarrassed by. Even outraged. (Snip) My immediate response is: okay—maybe he was unpleasant at times. Who isn't? And besides, anyone who ever does anything big is "unpleasant" every once in a while. Goes with the territory. Nice guys finish last, remember? Sometimes you have to kick ass to get stuff done.
Video: Is It Time for Intellectuals to Talk About God?
American Greatness fellow Tal Bachman interviews author Naomi Wolf, whose recent essay, “Is It Time for Intellectuals to Talk About God?” and criticism of the public policy response to COVID-19, has attracted widespread attention and controversy.
The Republican Party Sucks
Once upon a time, the Republican Party didn’t suck. Actually, there were lots of times it didn’t suck. It didn’t suck when, at its founding in the late 1850s, it declared slavery an inhumane, barbaric practice, and eventually ended it. It didn’t suck when it ended repressive and predatory Mormon polygamy a few decades later. It didn’t suck when it declared late 19th-century corporate monopolies to be injurious to representative democracy and citizen welfare, and diminished their power.
Biden’s Big Lie › American Greatness
Occasionally, we get a break from the lie. On Thursday, both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris lapsed into uncharacteristic truth-telling.“I don’t think the American people are racist,” Biden conceded in a Thursday interview.
A woman entered WROI, left office with scissors before being taken into custody by Rochester Police
About 2:00 pm Friday a woman entered WROI and told staff members she was in trouble and needed help while waiting for a ride. She explained that people were after her, that they attempted to harm her. The woman said she sought help in the past but was denied. Several minutes into the encounter the woman picked up a pair of scissors from a nearby desk. She refused to return them when asked. From there, she departed the building and began to walk away.
Bleak Present, Bright Future
Something feels different now. A specter sprawls, transparent and gaping and immense, through everything. You can feel its chill, its hunger, its malevolent glee. It is invisible, itself; but in flashes, you glimpse it in those rocks and shouts and curses, the shattered windows, the infinity of lies, the dimming consciousness, the murderous rage, the decline of everything. No force combats it. That’s the wonder. Nature beams as always, but it doesn’t fight the specter. Nor do we. Nothing does.
Bleak Present, Bright Future
Something feels different now. A specter sprawls, transparent and gaping and immense, through everything. You can feel its chill, its hunger, its malevolent glee. It is invisible, itself; but in flashes, you glimpse it in those rocks and shouts and curses, the shattered windows, the infinity of lies, the dimming consciousness, the murderous rage, the decline of everything. No force combats it. That’s the wonder. Nature beams as always, but it doesn’t fight the specter. Nor do we. Nothing does.
Fulton County law enforcement watching to keep school buses safe
Many school districts are now in the stretch run following spring break. And with school buses busily carrying kids to and from schools area law enforcement is stepping up efforts to make sure traffic abides by the rules as they pertain to buses. Fulton County Sheriff Chris Sailors. On a Covid note, Sheriff Sailors says the monthly numbers in the Fulton County Jail include those housed elsewhere as Covid concerns remain. Sailors also notes the process continues on construction of the new jail.
Embracing the Divine
It’s springtime now, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and Jews celebrate the divine deliverance of their ancestors from Egypt. Sacred stories, sacred prayers, sacred songs and recitations and meals of communion—all combine in worship now, throughout these special days, of the Great Giver of Life. And all around, an exultant natural world joins in. Life, in all its manifold glory, bursts forth in one grand symphony of adoration, its beauty and power abounding.
The Grammy Awards Show Is Dying. Here’s Why
Early indications are in: The recent Grammy Awards ceremony was a ratings disaster. I know—finally, some good news, right?Don’t get me wrong. I love music. I’ve earned my living in the music biz my whole adult life, as has my dad, my uncle, and many of my friends. Everyone in my world genuinely loves music. But what no one in my world loves is any of the garbage now being featured at the Grammys. The hard truth is, the Grammys no longer matters much to me or anyone I know.
In Search of Moral Order
To hear them tell it, it was an epic moment in the history of progress—right up there with the four-minute mile, the moon landing, and the Wright Brothers’ flight at Kittyhawk. For the first time ever, a newborn child would have three dads listed as parents on her birth certificate. It began mundanely enough. Long before Baby Piper’s birth in 2017, one of her future dads (Ian) began dating another one of her future dads (Alan), while both were studying medicine in Boston.
State Road 17 bridge over Mill Creek to be closed
The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a road closure for State Road 17 between C.R. W 550 S and C.R. W 400 S beginning Monday, March 15. The bridge will be closed through mid-May, 2021 for a bridge deck overlay project. Motorists should seek an alternate route. The official detour will follow State Road 16, U.S. 35, and State Road 14.
What the Lockdown Leviathans Don’t Get
Sure—usually “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” by, say, the end of November. But Meredith Willson’s classic Holiday tune didn’t quite come true this year.
Tal Bachman: Christians, Come Back
I remember when Christians used to actually believe in Christianity. Those were the days. (Some still do, but their numbers are shrinking.) Back then, you could still visit an average (Protestant) church and hear a pastor actually teach real doctrine and share authentic insights. You could hear his thoughts on how to live an upright Christian life, or on why bad things might happen to good people, or how Christian marriages might be improved.
A House Divided
There must be something wrong with me. The fireworks closing off the Republican National Convention were sensational. The music was inspiring. The speakers throughout the entire convention did well—no major screw-ups that I saw. The stories worked. And through it all, Trump and his proxies articulated a clear case for re-election. As conventions go, it felt like a success.
I'll Be At The Beach, Thanks...
By the time this piece appears, the 2020 Democratic National Convention will be over—and thankfully, I'll have missed it. Don't get me wrong—it was a huge struggle choosing between wasting four days of my life watching pre-recorded Orwellian orgies of deception and carefully-disguised dementia, versus hiking, surfing, and margarita-sipping on the balmy east coast of Vancouver Island with friends. But in the end, the sunbaked baby powder beaches and sylvan cathedrals won out.
Saying No to the Puppet Show
Well, The Puppeteers have spoken. Kamala Harris it is. I suppose I could take a victory lap, since I've been publicly predicting Kamala Harris would get the VP slot for nearly a year and a half. But my prediction wasn't much of an achievement, was it? As I noted five months ago, the DNC logic was inexorable: Democratic presidential candidate Biden is caucasian and has a penis; therefore, his running mate would at least have to be non-penised.
The Last of a Hundred Deaths: Peter Green, 1946-2020
The first time Peter Green died was one night in 1969, in San Francisco. Or possibly New York. Or Los Angeles or Miami or Chicago. Peter could never remember which. He had died a hundred times since, and after a while, all the deaths blurred together. Behind that first death lay 22 years of life, most of it spent as Peter Greenbaum, an obscure lad from Bethnal Green in the east end of London.
Orchestral Manoeuvres No Longer in the Dark
Pop quiz: What's the most important thing about opera singer Luciano Pavarotti? (A) He used his vocal gifts to bring joy to millions; or (B) He was white, and not black or Latino. If you're a normal person, you'd choose option A. But if you're the New York Times chief classical music critic, Tony Tommasini (or some other equally lousy person), you choose B.
A Titan Has Fallen
Singer-songwriter and guest columnist Tal Bachman reflects on the death of Neil Young's longtime manager, Elliot Roberts. I was a 22 year old nobody when I first met Elliot Roberts. I don't believe the already-iconic music manager even knew I was related to his most famous client's boyhood chum. (My dad, Randy Bachman from The Guess Who and BTO, grew up with Elliot's client Neil Young in Winnipeg, Manitoba). I was just some guy playing with a band he was interested in.
The Yuckiest Halloween Candy
What candy should be 'Put To Rest' this Halloween? Please make a comment in the section below....
Cat Jumps Into Lake When Guy Sneezes
Here's a quick funny clip that might make your day!
Designing Your Own Sneaker's
Vans making it easy to customize your kicks ~ Should I go with the, little doe nephew pic on my shoe's~ or Jack Work hard, buy shoes , you'll be a hero at Christmas
Scariest Horror Villains!!!
3. The Thing from "The Thing" (1982) 4. Pazuzu from "The Exorcist" (1973) That's the demon that possesses Linda Blair . 7. John Doe from "Seven" , played by Kevin Spacey (1995) 11. Dracula from "Dracula" (1931), "Horror of Dracula" (1958), "Dracula" (1979), and "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992) 12. Henry from "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" (1986) Henry was brilliantly played by Michael Rooker , who was Merle on "The Walking Dead" and Yondu in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies. 13.
Pump Less | 96.3 JACK-fm
Did you ever notice how much soap actually comes out of a dispenser? It’s quite a bit. It’s certainly more than is necessary to wash one’s hands, and significantly greater excess when you’re dealing with a little one’s hands. And though critical to hand washing, many studies are finding that the friction of hand washing is equally as critical as the type and the amount of soap used. Limiting one’s use is simple – just pump halfway (or even less) to avoid waste.
WATCH: Plane Attempts Landing In Extreme Crosswinds From Hurricane Irma
Incredible video of a plane battling strong crosswinds at Myrtle Beach International Airport today They couldn't land! @nsj #scwx pic.twitter.com/uSXsEwr2uF — Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) September 11, 2017 Ed Piotrowski is a weatherman for ABC15 News in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He tweeted out this video of a plane attempting to land at Myrtle Beach International Airport while battling some pretty severe crosswinds generated from Hurricane Irma! WOW!!!
Arachnid Eradication
If you’ve checked out the outside of your home lately, you’ve undoubtedly noticed a sure sign of late summer/early fall…spider webs everywhere ! If you’re lucky, these nasties are staying outside, but they always seem to find a way in, don’t they? And nobody wants that. So how do you protect your home from invasion this time (or any time) of the year? Let’s start here: But if you treat those areas, aren’t you also taking care of the spiders? Not necessarily.
The “Single Greatest Misconception About iOS”
Last week, while asking an unrelated question about my iPhone, I learned that I had a lot of apps open in the background. Open? Yeah, I guess you have to physically close apps when you are done with them. Simply clicking the “home” button doesn’t do it. Who knew? Well, I guess a lot of people knew. According to those with whom I spoke, I was killing my battery life and my iPhone performance by keeping all of these apps open in the background. So how do you close them?
Hear Kim Carson Wish You A Happy Birthday July 31, 2017
If you'd like Kim to wish you or someone you care about a Happy Birthday on the air at 7:40 ET week day mornings go right now to MyFM1065.com and click on birthday wishes...
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