In a recent interview, author Yang Shuang-Zi and translator Lin King shared insights into the creation and translation of Yang's multi-layered novel, which weaves together multiple languages and cultures, including Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese elements.
Yang on Writing from Visual Imagery
Yang explained that her creative process has always been rooted in imagery and video, even from a young age. When writing fiction, she adopts a cinematic approach, breaking down the narrative into frames. This results in a novel that reads in a very graphical way, akin to a movie director's storyboard.
Lin on Translating a Multilingual Work
Translator Lin King described the experience as both challenging and joyful. She noted that translated literature often aims for a smooth reading experience, but this novel's inherent layering and multilingual nature demanded a different approach. Lin celebrated the inclusion of various languages within the book, refusing to simplify the text for the sake of ease.
Linguistic Balancing Act
Yang elaborated on the linguistic nuances in her writing. She highlighted that contemporary Taiwanese Mandarin differs from the language spoken a century ago. To reflect this, she conceptualized the narrative as a translation from Japanese into Taiwanese Mandarin, employing a translational accent. This allowed readers to perceive differences in formats and languages, achieved through a deliberate framework and language ratio.
Translating Dialects and Languages into English
Lin addressed the challenge of rendering variations in dialects and languages into English, which has its own constraints. She emphasized that every language is finite, drawing parallels to India's experience with national language imposition. In Taiwan, Mandarin became the national language after 1949, relegating other languages to dialects spoken at home. Lin, who grew up speaking Taiwanese Mandarin, found that translating into English was not a compromise, as her native language was already distanced from that historical context.
Use of Footnotes in Translation
Lin discussed the role of footnotes in the translation, noting that Taiwan's history of successive colonial governments led to attempts to erase previous cultures. In the post-Japanese rule era, discussing the past was forbidden. With the return to democracy, there is a renewed interest in rediscovering history. Yang chose a framework where the narrator pretends to be a translator of a historical text, allowing her to include contextual information without making the narrative dry or pedantic. Lin expanded on this by adding helpful footnotes in the English edition, enabling readers to understand the context without needing to consult external sources.
Food as a Driving Force in the Plot
Yang explained how food serves as an essential element in the story, carrying symbolic weight. She designed food to operate on two levels: as a symbol of relationships between protagonists and as a mechanism to advance the plot. When selecting dishes, she considered Taiwan's diverse communities, local cuisines, and culture, ensuring that the food choices reflected the story's rich tapestry.
