Approved. Sorry about the huge wait.
Greetings,
I came across this news article yesterday. It's nothing to do with Islam, but there may be some people on the site who can shed some light on it:
Translation project to bring cream of foreign writers to Arabs
Ian Black
Thursday November 22, 2007
The Guardian
Books by Stephen Hawking, Umberto Eco, Haruki Murakami and other star writers past and present have been chosen as the first works to be translated into Arabic, in a major initiative to widen access to foreign literature.
The Abu Dhabi-based project, Kalima ("word" in Arabic), aims to publish 100 books in its first year and 500 titles a year by 2010, it announced yesterday.
The first 100 are from 16 languages, including Greek, Japanese, Swedish, Czech, Russian, Chinese, Yiddish, Italian, Norwegian, Latin and ancient Greek. Half the candidate titles are English.
Four years ago the UN's Arab human development report identified a lack of translated foreign works as an issue restricting Arab intellectual life. The UN report noted that Spain translates in one year the number of books that have been translated into Arabic in the past 1,000 years.
"The rest of the world enjoys a wealth of domestic and translated writing, why should the Arab world be any different?" Karim Nagy, Kalima's Egyptian chief executive, said as the first titles were announced. "We can start putting Arabic readers back in touch with great works of world literature and academia, and begin filling the gaps in the Arabic library."
The selection process is designed to strike a balance between different genres, juxtaposing the works of classic authors with contemporary writers. Academic, business and educational material is also being translated.
The organisers point out that in Europe's "dark ages" and until the end of the first millennium Arab scholars and libraries led the world in producing and preserving knowledge in science, medicine, philosophy and the arts. Since then, however, very few foreign works have found their way into Arabic.
"In past centuries Arabic learning was a source of great riches for the western intellectual tradition," said the British author Ian McEwan. "It is a cause for celebration that this major translation initiative is able to offer riches in return."
Other titles due out in Arabic this year are by Nadine Gordimer, Khaled Hosseini, Albert Camus, George Eliot, Albert Einstein, Jacques Lacan and Spinoza.
Muhammad al-Mazrouei, of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, which is financing the translation and publishing project, said: "We want to give Arabic readers the opportunity to read and enjoy a breadth of quality writing from around the world in their mother tongue. Arabic is a beautifully expressive language, and one that should be more widely celebrated and valued."
Source
The article mentions this claim, which has been knocking around for a while:
Four years ago the UN's Arab human development report identified a lack of translated foreign works as an issue restricting Arab intellectual life. The UN report noted that Spain translates in one year the number of books that have been translated into Arabic in the past 1,000 years.
I've seen at least one refutation of this by an Arabic writer, yet here it is again, being reported in the Guardian. I'd like to find out the truth, if possible, so if any Arabic people here could shed any light on this it would be good.
Have there really been so few books translated into Arabic, or is this a mistake?
Peace
Approved. Sorry about the huge wait.
why do you believe this has nothing to do with islam?
i read the story in the indi, and the list of books reads like they are trying to push the western modernist ideas through in a rush of books as if the same books that brought certain ideas about in the west will do the same in the arab countries.
anyway, it is blatent propaganda effort as i see it though i am sure the kuffar on here will see it differently.
Abu Abdullah
Theres already tons of western movies and shows in the middle east. This wont change anything :rolleyes:format_quote Originally Posted by Dawud_uk
that is true, but this is aimed at a different audiance, this is aimed at the middle classes to get them to change their way of thinking to a western way of thinking.format_quote Originally Posted by Nabooly
This would be a blatant propaganda effort from the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, would it? Maybe that's a cover for the local branch of the CIA? Maybe this Muhammad al-Mazrouei is the section chief, or something... maybe this might make the Abi Dhabi authorities wake up and spot the 'mole' in their midst?format_quote Originally Posted by Dawud_uk
I'm afraid the only the only thing 'blatant' is your paranoia.
Last edited by Trumble; 11-24-2007 at 11:08 AM.
I am for the freedom of speachand i think its positive they let the people to read. I like to read and the media its not the same thing like a book.
Even if this is true and thats their motivation for the translations (which I don't think is true), I think people should research both and make an informed opinion. Can't do that if the people don't have adequate access to 'the other side'. Thats why I also applaud all the translation the Saudi's are doing of books about Islam.format_quote Originally Posted by Dawud_uk
May the best ideology win, through debate and conversion and not on the battlefield!
I don't see that this has been the factor that has been limiting knowledge in any predominate Arabic speaking nation. In the Arabic speaking countries I have lived the majority of the people who read and write Arabic are multi-lingual and have read many books in the original languages.
For example I have found that throughout North Africa most people that can read and write Arabic will usually also read and write in at least one of the following: French, Spanish, English and/or German. Most often French and English. However in Morocco most people that can read and write will be literate in Arabic, French, Spanish and English. But in Morocco over half of the people can not read or write in any Language, illiteracy is very high.
I doubt if all of them are translated into Arabic it will have any impact on their being read or not read. Those that can Read and Write Arabic most likely can read them in their current language if they so desire and to those who do not read and write Arabic, it will make no diference.
It's weird people think this is an ideological thing. I see the works of George Eliot and Stephen Hawking are mentioned.
I don't think Silas Marner or theories about space, the universe and everything constitute an ideology of any sort. It's just literature and information respectively. Ideological stuff would be more like, say, the Communist Manifesto.
Although, judging from his quote, I guess Ian McEwan's stuff would be published too. I've only read 'Enduring Love' for English Literature, and disliked it until the end, where I felt it picked up and I actually started enjoying it, but where just about every other person thought it went downhill. God forbid a work of Great Literature (tm) actually entertains you
Also, they should so badly translate 'Battle Royale' by Koushun Takami for good, pulpy fun.
Last edited by Muezzin; 11-24-2007 at 12:00 PM.
Books of scientific import can indeed change societies. Look at Darwin's On the Origin of Species, for eg.format_quote Originally Posted by MuezzinIt's weird people think this is an ideological thing. I see the works of George Eliot and Stephen Hawking are mentioned.
I don't think Silas Marner or theories about space, the universe and everything constitute an ideology of any sort. It's just literature and information respectively. Ideological stuff would be more like, say, the Communist Manifesto.
Although, judging from his quote, I guess Ian McEwan's stuff would be published too. I've only read 'Enduring Love' for English Literature, and disliked it until the end, where I felt it picked up and I actually started enjoying it, but where just about every other person thought it went downhill. God forbid a work of Great Literature (tm) actually entertains you
Also, they should so badly translate 'Battle Royale' by Koushun Takami for good, pulpy fun.
Its good thanformat_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
I grew up in the USA, But I read books in more than one language. I think most Americans that have attended College also do or have had. also here in the southern States most schools teach in both Spanish and English and the kids are becoming bi-Lingual. I have found Australia and the USA to be the only countries where most of the population does not read more than one language.format_quote Originally Posted by TaniaIts good than
That's true.format_quote Originally Posted by Cognescenti
Perhaps Hawking's book mean greater Middle Eastern interest in space exploration? The scientists would already have read such things, but I'm not so sure about the common man.
And they should still translate 'Battle Royale'.
Greetings,
Thanks for the replies so far. Is there anyone who answer the key question:
Have there really been so few books translated into Arabic, or is this a mistake?
Peace
hola
this is a really interesting idea! i hope it brings a lot of new ideas to the arab world, and perhaps in turn we will see new ideas come from them for us
que Dios te bendiga
lol...actually arabs are more updated and trendier compared to the Malaysian...
i don't think they need any of the translations books.
Battle Royal, eh? Havent heard anyone talk about that book for a loooong time :P.format_quote Originally Posted by Muezzin
I agree though, Im not sure how much of a difference translating these highly intellectual books will do. I would think the people who would want to read stephen hawkings would read it regardless of the language. I dont think the average person is really jumping at the chance to read it in their native tongue. (I know I havent lol)
But who knows...
Any indication that it is a mistake?format_quote Originally Posted by czgibson
Isn't this simply a matter of economic development? Aren't most Arab countries fairly lowly developed rural societies? How many of these titles have been translated into, say, other large languages like Hausa or Mandarin? That would be an more interesting comparison IMHO than comparing it with Spain.
Last edited by KAding; 11-27-2007 at 05:48 PM.
Greetings,
I only say that because I read a stern "refutation" of it by an Arabic writer (I can't seem to find it right now). It wasn't that convincing, though, and I suspect that there genuinely have been very few books translated into Arabic. I was just looking to see if anyone else could confirm or deny.format_quote Originally Posted by KAding
Peace
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