Translation project to bring cream of foreign writers to Arabs

[MinAhlilHadeeth]

I very much doubt that, considering the various means of communication that have been developed, e.g. television and the internet.

And I don't think people read many foreign works in this country (England) either?

 

[czgibson]

Greetings,

One of his best works of al-Hariri that has not been translated is "Mulhat al-I'rab Fi Al-Nahw" which is an epic poem dealing with the Arabic language, it also contains an excellent commentary by him, it is a combination of grammar education, satire and humor.

Yep - it doesn't seem to be around in English.

The Assemblies is just a very small portion of his masterpiece "Maqamat" which is actually a multi volume collection of all of his tales. "The Assemblies" seems to be only about 10% of the total work.

There are fifty tales from it in English translation, as far as I can tell. Do you know how many he wrote in total?

Antisemitism is not just anti-Jewish although in modern usage that is what it often applies to. The Arabs are also semitic.

As Muezzin's etymological post stated. As I said to him, this isn't news to me. Fair enough if you're just emphasising this for the benefit of others, though.

I very much doubt that, considering the various means of communication that have been developed, e.g. television and the internet.

What about the four hundred years or so before that? A people being in the dark for so long is going to have a dramatic effect, no? Plus, in intellectual matters, there's no substitute for a good book. Television just doesn't cut it in academic circles, and the Internet is still developing its power as an intellectual resource.

And I don't think people read many foreign works in this country (England) either?

People don't read enough anywhere, to be frank, but in the UK the whole edifice of 'Arts and Social Sciences' faculties at universities up and down the land would collapse without the resources of foreign texts. Imagine sociology without Durkheim, philosophy without Kant or psychology without Freud. Impossible.

Peace

 

[Silver Pearl]

Greetings,


I don't think anyone's suggesting that, simply that (if the claim is true) it means that Arabic society is very insular, and less likely to have kept up with intellectual developments in the rest of the world. It wouldn't mean that Arabs as a whole were less intelligent, just less informed.

Peace

Greetings,

Having been an English Lit student for the past two years the books I had to study would not quite be to the taste buds of Arabs (in my opinion). Books like ‘If this is man’ By Levi and ‘Metamorphosis’ by Kafka would perhaps be rejected due to the fact that both writers are Jewish. While I thought ‘If this is man’ was a compelling text it does not change the fact that perhaps an Arab would view the text differently because of the history they have with the Jews. It could also simply be that they do not have interest in books in different languages and as for those who do; perhaps they can read it from the original text. It is not to say that the Arab world is deprived from excellent work simply because they have not read a poem by Rossetti or had the joy of being mesmerised by the works of Dostoevsky.

 

[czgibson]

Greetings,

It is not to say that the Arab world is deprived from excellent work simply because they have not read a poem by Rossetti or had the joy of being mesmerised by the works of Dostoevsky.

Anyone who has not been mesmerised by Dostoyevsky is deprived, in my view!

Crime and Punishment is one of the greatest masterpieces of world literature.

Peace

 

[Woodrow]

From CZ

There are fifty tales from it in English translation, as far as I can tell. Do you know how many he wrote in total?

I am trying to find it in Arabic, so I don't make an error, I am reasonably certain the entire collection has at least 500 tales, it may be much high. I will repost the exact number when I find the full Arabic collection. (No I'm not going to count them, just go by the number of the last one.)

 

[MinAhlilHadeeth]

I can understand where you're coming from. But I don't think they are being intelectually restricted with regards to Fictional novels, plays, poetry, and so on and so forth. Despite how entertaining one may find these, I do not consider this as a measure of intelligence. You may disagree? But it's just an opinion, and not a fact.

Peace

p.s. I much prefer the Humanistic approach. Freud was somewhat... perverse.

 

[czgibson]

Greetings,

I can understand where you're coming from. But I don't think they are being intelectually restricted with regards to Fictional novels, plays, poetry, and so on and so forth. Despite how entertaining one may find these, I do not consider this as a measure of intelligence. You may disagree? But it's just an opinion, and not a fact.

[I'm not really sure how you're using the word 'intelligence' - I think we are understanding different things by it.]

Your point about fiction is an interesting one. I can see how someone unfamiliar with novels might think "well, what can I learn from them? They are made up." However, the psychological truths and information they can hold hold about a particular society are actually profound and complex. A novel is one of the very best ways of assessing the intellectual climate of the times in which it was written.

p.s. I much prefer the Humanistic approach. Freud was somewhat... perverse.

Interestingly, many psychology professors now disregard Freud almost entirely. His work was highly influential in psychology for a relatively short time. His influence has actually been far more profound in literary study. However, that he was one of the world's most important thinkers is absolutely not in doubt. Top ten - easily.

Peace

 

[MinAhlilHadeeth]

Greetings,


[I'm not really sure how you're using the word 'intelligence' - I think we are understanding different things by it.]

How do you understand the word?

Your point about fiction is an interesting one. I can see how someone unfamiliar with novels might think "well, what can I learn from them? They are made up." However, the psychological truths and information they can hold hold about a particular society are actually profound and complex. A novel is one of the very best ways of assessing the intellectual climate of the times in which it was written.

No, actually I really enjoy reading Fiction. Until I started my second year of A-levels recently, I used to write fictional stories as a hobby. It was quite useful for creative writing pieces in English Literature! The only reason I used that as an example was because Arabs might have their own substitutes? Besides, I don't think any piece of literature is really the same once you translate it in to another language. I think it would lose a lot of the meaning?

Interestingly, many psychology professors now disregard Freud almost entirely. His work was highly influential in psychology for a relatively short time. His influence has actually been far more profound in literary study. However, that he was one of the world's most important thinkers is absolutely not in doubt. Top ten - easily.

I think this is largely to due with the lack of empirical evidence in the psychodynamic approach. Freud may have been influential, but once you examine his analysis of little Hans, for example... it becomes apparant that he may have needed a psychiatrist himself!

 

[Woodrow]

I think this is largely to due with the lack of empirical evidence in the psychodynamic approach. Freud may have been influential, but once you examine his analysis of little Hans, for example... it becomes apparant that he may have needed a psychiatrist himself!

Speaking as a Psychologist. Freud's theories have long ago fallen into disfavor. The value of Freud is that he was the first to show that Human Behavior could be measured in terms of quantification and qualification, thereby moving psychology from the field of philosophy to true analytical science. It is for this reason he is known as the father of modern psychology.