Hi,<br><br>-------------------漢文脈 vs 英文脈 and Comedy in Translation ----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>As hard as it would be to believe, I very much had Ms.<i>Smiatacz's "Request to Members" in mind</i><br>
while sending the "Comedy in Translation" post as the various responses covered the full gamut<br>of 漢文脈 to 英文脈 as well as illustrating the stages of development of modern Korean out of the <br>thousand years fold of 漢文脈 past.<br>
<br>-------------------Comedy in Translation------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>First thing first, I would like to report on the many responses to the "Comedy in Translation" post.<br>
<br>I am embarrassed to admit not have known of the depth of the embarrassment of riches in the <br>tradition of comedy and humor in East Asia.<br><br>I have been flooded with information about "Japanese humor" "Korean humor" and "Chinese humor,"<br>
from sinologists, japanologists, and koreanists from all over the world. I am afraid to click the links<br>for fear that this will be the last time I will see my belly button from laughing too much. Polish jokes, German<br>
jokes(?), Russian jokes, Norwegian jokes etc etc..( some don't do too well under the google translator, sadly...)<br><br>I also seem to be a step closer to locating my long lost Chinese humor collection. It would appear that<br>
it was a translation, from English(most likely into Japanese, then to Korean), of Lin Yu-Tang's books on<br>Chinese humor. This would make sense as the book was from 100 volumes in World Literature for children,<br>mostly European. Apparently the polymath Lin also coined the Chinese term for humor in the 20's<br>
<br> "Lin's essay "On Humor" was published in "Lunyu" in 1933, but he said he coined the Chinese term<br> for humor (youmo 幽默) in the 1920s.."<br><br>One reader also sent me the following link to 비즈니스 유머 on Nate. While not "literature," I think it not<br>
unfair to say all the elements for literature are to be found in these short, funny pieces, despite the fact <br>that the quality and the standards are not that of a Ledyard find or a Murakami humor. I think it could <br>
be a nice resource for Korean language classes. <br><br>Here is the link:<br><a href="http://search.nate.com/search/all.html?q=%BA%F1%C1%EE%B4%CF%BD%BA+%C0%AF%B8%D3&csn=0&z=A&tq=&rq=&nq=&sg=&psn=&si=0&asn=000000540&si=0" target="_blank">http://search.nate.com/search/all.html?q=%BA%F1%C1%EE%B4%CF%BD%BA+%C0%AF%B8%D3&csn=0&z=A&tq=&rq=&nq=&sg=&psn=&si=0&asn=000000540&si=0</a><br>
<br>-------------------漢文脈 vs 英文脈 and Comedy in Translation ----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Now, let me get back to the 漢文脈 vs 英文脈 and the many responses to the "[KS] Request to members."<br>
<br>Below I have collected and numbered the many and indeed varied responses in Korean and English.<br><br>There were altogether 11 responses. 1 through 4 would be labeled under 한문맥, while the 5 to 11 would be<br>under 영문맥. 1 to 4 include the original, transliteration(음역) and various 국한문혼용 in 한문맥. They clearly<br>
preserve the structure of the original and is probably the least intrusive.<br><br>While under 영문맥 there are just 2 Korean translations vs 5 English translations, it would not be hard to find<br>same variability in Korean had we sought out other "Korean" translations. Of course, it was interesting how <br>
one can "trace" the evolution of modern Korean through the numbered Korean versions, surely good material<br>for a class on development of modern Korean.<br><br>On the question of 영문맥 label for the Korean translations 5 and 6, I think comparing 한문맥 3 and 4<br>
<br> 미각지당에 춘초 몽하여<br>
계전오엽이 이추성이라<br>
<br>against 영문맥 5<br><br> 연못의 봄 풀은 꿈에서 깨어나지 않았는데 <br> 섬돌 앞의 오동 잎이 이미 가을 소리니라. <br><br>and another 영문맥 from 9 and 11<br><br> Even while the short dreams of the spring Grasses by the pond are unawakened,(from 9)<br> But before the steps, the leaves of the paulonia tree already have the autumn tune.(from 11)<br>
<br>the 2 Korean versions seemed to clearly belong to 영문맥 in structure. I hope your own careful <br>examination of Korean and English versions will serve as elaboration and explanation for my <br>choice.<br><br>I must confess that I have rather reversed the standard meaning of 漢文脈 as used by <br>
Yanabu Akira with reference to the current constitution of Japan and as 漢文脈 is often<br>used by other scholars in Korea in characterizing the current constitution of Korea.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Joobai Lee<br><br>P.S.<br>
That the most recent post asks for "Right answer" seemed justified by the clear variability<br>in the many translations. However, I have to wonder about the productivity of such self-restricting<br>approach. Surely, we shouldn't approach poetry as though it were a multiple choice exam.<br>
<br>--------------------------------------------Original and Translations------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>1:<br>未覺池塘 春草夢<br>階前梧葉 已秋聲<br><br>2:(Transliteration=음역/音譯?)<br>미각지당춘초몽<br>계전오엽이추성<br>
<br>3:(국한문혼용/ 한문맥)<br>少年易老하고 學難成하니<br>一寸光陰이라도 不可輕이라 <br>未覺池塘에 春草夢하여 <br>階前梧葉이 已秋聲이라 <br><br>4:(국한문혼용 transliteration/ 한문맥 transliteration)<br>소년이로하고 학난성하니 <br>일촌광음이라도 불가경이라 <br><br>미각지당에 춘초 몽하여<br>계전오엽이 이추성이라<br><br>5:(영문맥)<br>
연못의 봄 풀은 꿈에서 깨어나지 않았는데 <br>섬돌 앞의 오동 잎이 이미 가을 소리니라. <br>6:<br>연못가에 봄 풀이 채 꿈도 깨기전에<br>계단 앞 오동나무잎이 가을을 알린다<br>7:<br>Spring grass at the pond before I wake up from my dream/<br>In front of the stairs paulownia leaves are announcing autumn.<br>
8:<br>Hardly has the grass by the pond woken up from its spring dream<br>When the parasol trees before the steps begin to sing a song of autumn.<br>9:<br>Even while the short dreams of the spring Grasses by the pond are unawakened,<br>
The paulownia leaves growing over the eaves Are lured by the blowing autumn wind.<br>10:<br>Before you can catch the dream of spring grasses by the pool,<br>Already there are sounds of autumn in the leaves below the steps.<br>
11:<br>They have not yet awakened from the dreams of spring grass around the pond;<br>But before the steps, the leaves of the paulwonia tree already have the autumn tune.<br><br><br>