From: Pratima Bhattacharya <pbhattacharya@tcom...>
To: Ananda Marga Discourses <anandamargadiscourses@sunlink.net>
Subject: Bengalization of NKS (English)
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2016 11:27:48 +0530
BABA
Bengalization of NKS (English)
Namaskar,
On 14 December 1980 in Calcutta, Baba has given a discourse in which He spoke one section in English. For the English language publication, that section Baba had given originally in English was not used; rather the English sentences were translated in Bengali, then from Bengali were re-translated into English and printed in the English book. Thus Baba’s original English words were lost.
#1 Baba’s Original English Words
Here is what Baba actually said in the discourse, in English.
Baba’s voice, As-Is:
“‘One plus one is equal to two’, first phase. ‘One plus one is equal to one’, second stage. And, ‘one plus one, what is that thing ? I do not know’---is the final stage.”
But due to double translation, it became as follows:
“1 + 1 = 2. This is the first stage. 1 + 1 = 1. This is the second stage. 1 + 1 = “What? I do not know.” This is the final stage.”
This above altered section is printed in the English NKS book.
This whole episode of ruining an English discourse in the above described fashion, is called Bengalization.
Namaska’r,
Pratima Bhattacharya
Note: NKS = Namami Krsna Sundaram
The above passage is from Vraja Krsna and Dvaetavada, NKS chapter 17, MGD 14 December 1980 Calcutta
Detail Study-- If the matter is not fully clear, please go on reading below:
#2 How did this happen?
Our Tiljala Publishers’ Bengali Translation
In the Bengali Publication of the discourse, this section originally spoken by Baba in English, was translated by the Tiljala Publishers into Bengali. Here is how it got printed in the Bangla NKS book:
“এই + এক = দুই, এটা হ’ল প্রথম অবস্থা | এক + এক = এক, এটা দ্বিতীয় অবস্থা | এক + এক = এ কী ? না, আমি জানি না; এইটা হ’ল শেষ অবস্থা |”
Then, when our Tiljala Publishers translated the discourse into English for the English language publication, instead of using Baba’s original English, our Tiljala Publishers instead re-translated what they’d themselves written in Bengali, into English. Here below is how it is printed in the Electronic English Edition by our Tiljala Publishers:
#3 Our Tiljala Publishers’ English Re-Translation
“1 + 1 = 2. This is the first stage. 1 + 1 = 1. This is the second stage. 1 + 1 = “What? I do not know.” This is the final stage.”
Take note that the English version published by our Tiljala Publishers (#3), does not look at all like the original English version spoken by Baba (#1). That is because Baba’s original English words were translated into Bengali, then that very translated discourse got re-translated from Bangla back into English by our Tiljala Publishers. And by so doing, Baba’s original words were lost.
This sort of double-translation or re-translation, is unnecessary and represents a kind of distortion. Many times in so doing, the spirit and meaning is changed. The question is, what was the need to do this? For an English book, it would have been better if our Tiljala Publishers had directly given what Baba said---as He said it in English.
Note 1. Some people may say these are not serious mistakes. The answer to this is: It depends on one’s perspective. Just like, one dust particle although it is small, but if it gets inside one’s eye then one will not dismiss it as small. So in this letter, the point which is raised is very important, that Baba’s discourses should be given to Margii readers without alteration. When Baba speaks in English, then there is no need to pollute it by Bengalization i.e. translating into Bangla and then translating that Bangla version back into English and providing to English readers. So here the main point is that Bengalization of Baba’s discourses must stop.
Note 2. Those who do not have this NKS chapter 17, and would like to read it, please inform us at Ananda Marga Discourses <anandamargadiscourses@sunlink.net>, and we will provide you the published English discourse.
Note 3. There are several more important points in connection with this Baba’s quote, which I will bring in a subsequent posting.
