Lost in translation: sentiments English cannot do justice, with a focus on Camus’s ‘The Stranger’

George Orwell stated within his essay ‘Politics and the English Language’ that using Latin, Greek, or other foreign words and phrases in writing is ineffectual. “Bad writers, and especially scientific, political and sociological writers, are nearly always haunted by the notion that Latin or Greek words are grander than Saxon ones,” he claimed. He uses examples of phrases such as cul de sac, deus ex machina, or status quo to argue that, when faced with a foreign word or expression, the author should always seek to find and instead use the English equivalent.

Although I very fundamentally agree with the rest of Orwell’s essay, I disagree with his opposition to the use of foreign phrases within writing. As we have developed a greater understanding of cultural psychology and its impact on linguistics, we are now able to acknowledge the impact that language has on the brain. We are able to recognise that there exists in some languages concepts which are simply absent in others – for instance, how is cul de sac translated into English? It literally translates to bottom of the sack, but is translated in a more colloquial way as dead end. However, even this translation falls short of the meaning that cul de sac evokes in its original French. When we use the term cul de sac to describe a group of houses which form a small, enclosed neighbourhood, does the word dead end really suffice? Not quite. The French phrase cul de sac instead serves a perfectly adequate purpose.

In this way, it becomes difficult for translators to pinpoint an exact translation for the title of the novel as each translation conveys different connotations

The term cul de sac is just one of the many foreign expressions which cannot be translated literally or simply into English. When we apply this phenomenon to the more general realm of literature, we face an issue – can we truly appreciate the intended meaning of a book if it has been translated from another language into English? I will look at the novel L’Étranger by French author Albert Camus to examine whether some foreign concepts and ideas are simply lost in translation.

The title of the book itself presents an issue for translators of Camus. L’Étranger can be translated into an array of different words in English – ‘the stranger’, ‘the outsider’, ‘the foreigner’. Each of these translations depict a different interpretation of the title of the book, as well as a different interpretation of the character of Meursault, who is l’étranger. For Meursault to be a ‘stranger’, he becomes a slightly weird man, someone to be met with caution. For him to be an ‘outsider’, he becomes an estranged and unknowing person, perhaps someone shy or someone to be sympathised with. And as a ‘foreigner’, his unfamiliarity with the novel’s greater environment is put down to be due to his cultural values rather than aspects of his character. In this way, it becomes difficult for translators to pinpoint an exact translation for the title of the novel as each translation conveys different connotations. Is the original meaning and nuance of the word L’Étranger therefore lost in translation?

Although the most suitable option out of the four translations, the word ‘mother’ doesn’t quite depict the intimacy which is contained in the word maman

My copy of the book, translated by Sandra Smith, contains a foreword on her translation and some of the decisions she had to make regarding French words and expressions which don’t have a literal translation in English. She notes that the first sentence of the novel, Aujourd’hui, maman est morte (translated literally as ‘Today, mother has died’) brought her some difficulties during the translation process. What should the French word maman be translated to? She considers the terms ‘mother’, ‘mummy’, ‘mommy’, and ‘mama’ – each containing their own meaning of the word used to describe one’s maternal parent. ‘Mother’ is slightly too formal and distant, whilst ‘mummy’ and ‘mommy’ are too juvenile. ‘Mama’ is more appropriate, but is a term not so frequently used within British English. Smith decides to use the word ‘mother’, translating the first line of the novel as ‘My mother died today’. Although the most suitable option out of the four translations, the word ‘mother’ doesn’t quite depict the intimacy which is contained in the word maman. Smith’s choice of words therefore subconsciously influences the reader’s perception of Meursault’s relationship with his mother, as well as his emotional state. Is the meaning evoked by the word maman therefore lost in translation when L’Étranger is translated into English?

The issues surrounding translation are continued throughout the novel – Camus writes of the concept of existentialism within L’Étranger, a philosophical movement popular in postwar France. However, this sentiment is slightly lost on a British audience as the movement never reached the same level of popularity in its English environment as it did in the French. Is the greater sentiment and meaning of the novel therefore also lost in its translation to a British audience?

We should research the original author’s intentions, become aware of certain cultural dimensions which may have been lost in translation, and be slightly cautious when taking texts out of their original context

Although it may seem futile and it may deter us from picking up a translated book in the future for fear of not receiving the same message that the original author had intended, this issue of translation within literature illustrates to me the beauty of the reading process. It shows us that literature is an art, one with nuances and subjectivities which surpasses borders and languages – yet also a science which involves the reader as much as the author in how it is interpreted. Different translations of the same book allow for openness, criticism and debate, which are central to the reading process.

Within this article, I have sought to shed some light on the importance of translators in the reading process. Perhaps we should pay greater attention when choosing the specific translation of the book we are reading – we should research the original author’s intentions, become aware of certain cultural dimensions which may have been lost in translation, and be slightly cautious when taking texts out of their original context – and overall, let’s appreciate the subjectivity and art and the cultural universality which translated literature summons.