Lost in translation

This past Wednesday we devoted a lot of time to translation. It was easy to read and get the general idea, but when we were asked to translate it was the hardest task I've ever done in Spanish. I feel like I get the general ideas and points in conversation and in readings, but translation from word to word… that's another story. This task got me thinking of all the people I criticize when I watch movies in Urdu or Hindi… it bother's me that the translator does a terrible job at times and the meaning isn't as deep as it is in its vernacular language. That the translations sometimes sound silly, especially for certain words that have numerous connotations. Anyways, when doing a similar task myself I had a much greater appreciation for the translators. I feel that you can never understand that true meaning of what the writer wants to understand or feel until you have a strong grasp for that language. So therefore, I'm going to continue reading in Spanish in hopes of someday being able to say, " I do understand what that Spanish writer meant."