What does it mean to translate into something else? Whether this is one's language and culture or something as simple as metric into the English or "imperial system," we can probably agree that there is compromise and a give and take on the part of the less powerful system to the more powerful or dominant system, such as Kim faces when leaving China as a child and coming to America.
Using Topical Invention strategies, develop four thesis sentences: analogies, consequences, testimony, and definitions in an exploration of the topic: Translation.
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3. The Dance Boots: Reading Strategies
4. Revision Strategies
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5 comments:
Rosetta Egan
Professor Sabir
English 1B
25 September 2012
Topical Invention
For Kim translating herself to her American classmates is a struggle like climbing a high mountain.
During the time Kim lives in the tenement She must translate herself from a girl who lives in squalor to a girl who goes to an expensive private school.
When Kim first starts school in America, she might define translation as being in three places at the same time. She is listening to English, translating it into Chinese and then translating it back to English in order to communicate with Americans.
Ma does not see the need to translate either her Chinese language into English or any of her Chinese cultural norms into American norms.
Mandy Ho
26 September 2012
English 1B
Professor Wanda Sabir
Topical Invention
When Kim tries to understand Mr. Bogart, her difficulty in understanding is almost as if she is trying to look through murky waters.
After being accepted into Harrison, when Kim returns to the factory after school, she must change her clothes and translate herself beck into the factory girl that she is.
While growing up in the U.S., Kim has to translate situations to Ma, which forces her to translate tasks such as taxes and real estate, into something she understand, then translating it back to Ma for Ma to understand.
Throughout her life, Kim must translate herself in her different surroundings, home with Ma, at the factory, being with Annette, being with Matt, and at school.
Dung Le
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1B
25 September 2012
Topical Invention
The consequence of misinterpretation of anything will have an undesirable effect. As for Kim the first consequence occurred on her first day of class, she didn’t understand what she was suppose to do and thus looked over at another person paper and was blamed for cheating, “No cheap pen!’ he said. His nose and cheeks were flushed as if he were getting a rash. ‘you a hero!” (27).
I believe that translating is a way that someone transforms something into a form that he or she can understand. For example, in the book “Girl in Translation” by Jean Kwok there are some Chinese saying that is translated to English so that the reader can understand, “There was some whispering when they found out Dog Flea Mama was my aunt…” (36). However, without being Chinese, Dog Flea Mama true meaning is lost in the translation.
Duty, honor, and expectation vary from culture to culture. It seems that Americans value independence most while as for most Asian families it’s more of repaying and taking care of their elders. For Kim it was clearly known what her duty and expectation is, she wanted to take care of Ma and save her from the life of hard work, Kim said “I’m going to get us both out of here, Ma, I promise” (50).
Works Cited
Kwok, Jean. Girl in translation. New York: Riverhead Books, 2010. Print.
John Sung
Professor Sabir
English 1B
9-25-12
Translation
Definition: Translation has multiple definitions however the two that related to the book was, Translation means the rendering of something into another language or into one's own from another language. Another definition that suits this book is, change or conversion to another form, appearance, etc. ; transformation.
Kim had to translate English to Chinese and Chinese to English ever since the first day she arrived to America. Although she had no choice to be her mother’s translator, Kimberley had to also transform herself into a whole different person just to fit into society.
Testimony: As an immigrant translation was a very big part of my life. I am the only one in my family that was born in the United States so one can already imagine that my Korean is not picture perfect. Having to learn Korean as a second language, there has always been a barrier from my parents to my brother and I. Just like Kimberly, my brother and I had to read every mail and document that concerned by parents ever since we knew how to read. I also recall helping my parents study for the naturalization test just as Kimberly did for her mother.
Anna H.Y. Lim
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1B
20 September 2012
Topical Invention
By definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word, translation means:
1. an act, process, or instance of translating: as
a. a rendering from one language into another; also : the product of such a rendering
b. a change to a different substance, form, or appearance : conversion.
In Girl in Translation, Kimberly immigrates from China to the United States; and she has to learn a new language to be able to function in new social settings. However, even after she becomes familiar with the language, she finds herself constantly translating in between two languages, cultures and identities (for instance, a China-town factory girl and affluent private school girl).
Like Kim, I could not speak English when I first came to the States at the age of fourteen. I often found myself in situations where I did not know how to communicate, and that was very frustrating.
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