Philstar
In this article:
Beauty Is A Wound
Eka Kurniawan
Written by Dolly Dy-Zulueta, originally published in Philstar
Jan 04, 2025
Beauty Is A Wound
Eka Kurniawan
Written by Dolly Dy-Zulueta, originally published in Philstar
Jan 04, 2025
Books written in English have an advantage over those written in the vernacular. With English being one of the most widely spoken and understood languages in the world, books written in English capture worldwide readership.
There are stories, however, that their authors feel are better told and shared in their local language. By their nature, non-English books limit their audience to those who know the language.
But beyond the pages of books lie worlds waiting to be explored — and the best remedy for the language barrier that prevents this from happening is translation. Fortunately, in recent years, a lot of good translation work has been done on significant books written in foreign languages to give them a wider audience worldwide.
There is a special appeal in works that reveal life beyond familiar shores and deepen our understanding of shared humanity, especially in today’s fractured world. Reading translated books is always meaningful, exposing readers to diverse perspectives, cultures, and ideas that broaden their worldview. Translations foster empathy, offering insight into different ways of thinking, seeing, and living. They also preserve the richness of global literary traditions, allowing lesser-known voices to reach wider audiences.
There are stories, however, that their authors feel are better told and shared in their local language. By their nature, non-English books limit their audience to those who know the language.
But beyond the pages of books lie worlds waiting to be explored — and the best remedy for the language barrier that prevents this from happening is translation. Fortunately, in recent years, a lot of good translation work has been done on significant books written in foreign languages to give them a wider audience worldwide.
There is a special appeal in works that reveal life beyond familiar shores and deepen our understanding of shared humanity, especially in today’s fractured world. Reading translated books is always meaningful, exposing readers to diverse perspectives, cultures, and ideas that broaden their worldview. Translations foster empathy, offering insight into different ways of thinking, seeing, and living. They also preserve the richness of global literary traditions, allowing lesser-known voices to reach wider audiences.
Read the full article here.
