Welcome to the second experience within this exhibition, the world of Emma‘s written text. The first sentence of Emma is one of the most iconic lines in the novel. Not only does Jane Austen introduce us to the main character, Emma Woodhouse, but also her disposition, social status, and attitude. But what often happens as readers is that the first sentence of a novel gets lost in our enthusiasm to start a book. Rather than rush through this important moment, I invite you to slow down and experience Austen’s text through a new perspective, one of a different language. What fascinates me the most about this line is how every translator chose to translate it differently. You don’t need to know anything about Spanish to find the hidden gems of written language within each translator’s artistic work.
I invite you to read through each translation, whether you are familiar with the language or not, and find those subtle differences. Find where each translator infused their work with creative liberty. There is no direct translation into any language, as each language and its vocabulary is unique to both its grammatical system and modern colloquialisms. This first line shows us just how nuanced the art of translation can be, especially when conducted between different decades of language and culture.
Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.
2015 Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition of Emma. Edited by Juliette Wells.
Emma Woodhouse, bella, inteligente y rica, con un hogar confortable y un buen carácter, parecía reunir algunas de las más excelentes bendiciones de la existencia; y vivió en el mundo hasta cerca de los veintiún años, sin haber encontrado muchas cosas que le hubiesen causado enojo o desazón.
1945 Spanish Translation of Emma. Translated by Jaime Bofill Y Ferro.
En Emma Woodhouse, guapa, inteligente y rica, que poseía una casa confortable y era alegre por temperamento, parecían haberse reunido algunas de las mejores bendiciones que pueden adornar la vida de un ser humano; y en los casi veintiún años de su edad, muy pocas cosas le habían ocasionado molestias o humillaciones.
1971 Spanish Translation of Emma. Translated by José Luis López Muñoz.
Inteligente, bella y rica, con un hogar cómodo y una predisposición a la felicidad, Emma Woodhouse parecía reunir algunos de los bienes más preciosos de la existencia; y, en realidad, había pasado casi veinte años en este mundo sin conocer grandes trastornos ni padecimientos.
2014 Spanish Translation of Emma. Translated by Sergio Pitol.
Notice how while Austen’s text begins directly with “Emma Woodhouse,” every translator chooses to begin their sentences differently. Bofill Y Ferro followed in the original text’s footsteps by opening with “Emma Woodhouse,” but López Muñoz and Pitol took a different written route. Following the opening of this sentence, we notice that there are also two different translations of “handsome.” While Bofill Y Ferro and Pitol use “bella” to represent this word, López Muñoz chooses to use “guapa.” What does Austen’s choice in the word “handsome” over other descriptors such as “beautiful” mean to you as a reader? How does even that choice in English change how we begin to visualize the character of Emma Woodhouse?
As we continue into the intricate world of this translated sentence, we are continually faced with differences in word choice and sentence structure between the three different translations and the English original, down to the very last word. No ending of these three translations is the same, and whether we understand the nuances of the Spanish language or not, we can appreciate how much thought and artistry went into the making of just this one translated line. Just image how much artistry and time went into the creation of each fully translated novel. A translator must be more than just a master of their language, they must be a writer in every shade and layer of that artistic profession.
Continue exploring the exhibition and enter the audio world of the first chapter.