Prashanti's Translation of Shashi Deshpande's The Long Silence

[augusto pinto]

I met Padma Shri Dr Maria Aurora Couto-bai (she does not like being addressed by these titles which is why I get a kick out of purposely using them) at the the Fundação Oriente biennial short story competition press conference yesterday and as we were chatting she said she was impressed by Prashanti Talpankar's translation of her childhood friend Shashi Deshpande's translation of The Long Silence into Konkani which she heard her read at the book release.

I frankly would not have read the translation unless I read the original so I was influenced both one way and the other regarding MAC's comment as I've read neither.

I think doing translations of English books into Konkani is a heroic enterprise because most people who can read Konkani can also read English and why would anyone read a translation when they can read the original?

Anyway I made a mental note to buy a copy of Prashanti's translation as well as Shashi Deshpande's The Long Silence as being a translator myself I am interested in knowing how fellow practitioners do their work.

Given below is a review of Prashanti's book:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Konkani-translation-of-The-Long-Silence-released/articleshow/47422451.cms

PANAJI: Konkani novel 'Dirgh Maun Tem', translated from Shahshi Deshpande's original 'That Long Silence', was released on Monday at Goa University at the hands of author Maria Aurora Couto.

The Sahitya Academy Award-winning novel has been translated to Konkani by Prashanti Talpankar.

"When I first read this novel, I was appalled by how depressed it made the reader," said Talpankar. "When I learnt that this novel has been prescribed as a text to students of final year BA, I figured something must be done to make the reader's experience worthwhile. When writer Pundalik Naik asked me if I'd would like to translate any novel for the Sahitya Akademi,, I instantly suggested this novel."

In order to accomplish the feat, Talpankar often sought the guidance of friends, family and experts in Konkani literature like Pundalik Naik, Ramesh Veluskar and Mahesh Thaly.

The book launch was a part of a four-day workshop organized by the faculty of languages and literature, Goa University, in collaboration with the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, Directorate of Official Languages and World Konkani Centre, Mangalore.

In a panel discussion prior to the book launch, moderator Glenis Mendonca pointed out how Talpankar paid close attention to detail and praised the translator for her effort. Critically analyzing the work and comparing it to the original, Antara Bhide explained how the translator has used Konkani expressions like 'avaay', 'zak marli' and 'avoiss' as interjections for 'phoo', 'damn' and 'urgh' respectively.

Launching the novel, celebrated writer Maria Aurora Couto said, "Talpankar has put a lot of effort in translating this work; the result appears better than the original text."

Augusto

PS: Jerry Pinto's translation of Daya Pawar's autobiography Baluta published by Speaking Tiger is expected to be out soon.

[Bharati Shah]

The name of the book, Shashi Deshpande wrote is -- 'That Long Silence'

 

Regards,

Bharati Pawaskar

 

On 6 June 2015 at 23:39, augusto pinto <pint...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Damodar Ghanekar]

Please write Sahitya and Konkani academy's spelling correctly as :

AKADEMI....K and I....these are important..

Damodar K K Ghanekar