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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR ___________ N. SAOMAI |
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Wordbridge is a magazine of literature
and literature in translation. Its aim is nothing less than to bring to the
reader literary works from established and new writers, in the original
language and in translation. Its part in translation is to introduce a
foreign literature to those who appreciate not only the enjoyment of reading,
but also the knowing and understanding of other cultures. The magazine is
published biannually. It features selected pieces in a variety of genres, and
will include¾
apart from its main contents, reviews, criticism, and essays. For the past two years I've had the
opportunity to introduce to the online reader some English translations of
fiction and poetry from Vietnamese authors through The Writers Post magazine
at www. thewriterspost.net. This electronic literary magazine was launched on
July 1999, with an emphasis on what the Wordbridge intends: to bring to
readers who may want to read the literary works originally written in the
Vietnamese language for long entrenched behind the barrier of language. Both
magazines are under my editorship, and will work in association with each
other. In the more
than twenty-five years of its existence in the western part of the globe
Vietnamese literature has been part of this literary society, and yet Western
reading people seems despair of ever finding their way to it; under the eyes
longing for reading, works published in the most established and respective
literary magazines remain secret in a language of lesser currency. Intended
for the interested reader, the Wordbridge launches herself on searching a
road of crossing the barrier of language, existing as a pioneering literary
magazine of Vietnamese literature in translation, serving as a cornerstone. For my part, though not a translator myself,
I believe I should attempt some translations, as far as the limit of my
ability allows, as I had tried while editor-in-chief of Song Van magazine.
The main emphasis of the translation will not, of course, on merely selecting
representative pieces by published writers among the total of some three to
four hundred Vietnamese writers ranging from little-known to famous living
abroad, but also on the existence of the pieces themselves in the literary
community. However they may be chosen, they are by no means considered
intrinsically superior to the others not translated and published in the
Wordbridge. The translations, however, if not by the author but a translator
who is responsible for the accuracy of the work, is selected. Even if the
playfulness of words, the way of tongue, and the difference of cultures could
lead to the possibility of confusion and make mistakes unavoidable, a translator should not
make himself excused. A translation must not be an imperfect reproduction
baffled with the translator's carelessness when retrieving the original
content into another language. To translate, in my view, is to transpose,
i.e. to play a piece of music in a different key in which, what is laid
beneath the music, behind the playing words this key or language carries the
other, except where it is possibly impossible as in poetry, would do. No
translation would show the original at its authentic level, good or bad, of
course; and yet the original, though from which the authentic voice of the
author and his own style of expression can not be "translated",
must not be obliterated by the translator's misunderstanding the meanings of
words, their intrinsic value, or the various meanings of such words in
different positions in sentence structure. Mistakes, if found, must be
corrected. However, an attempt to get a better communion with the original in
the Vietnamese language, which is much simplified through its evolution over
many thousands of years, could
drew to flexibly using English, and I will not appreciate any suggestion. Although the main part of what it
aims is an emphasis on translation, the Wordbridge is one of the most easily
accessible literary magazines of writing, publishing literary works by
established and new writers, offering a platform for opinions, essays,
review, and criticism. Established and new writers are equally welcomed.
Published authors who try to introduce their pieces through their own art of
translation are generally accepted. New writers are always seriously
considered for publication. Submissions are considered on their own merits,
and no author's publishing background is particularly advantageous to the
work, as stated in the guidelines. We banished the terms aspiring writer and
beginning writer from the Wordbridge's vocabulary. A writer is not aspiring
or beginning when he at last decides to submit his work, in his capacity as a
writer, to a literary magazine. In fact, he is a new writer. New¾ because he has
just now decided to come to the literary community. Thus, the Wordbridge's contents will
be a lively mix of different cultures as different literatures are meeting at
the crossroads. The task is difficult and resources
are limited, that I am full aware of. To labour to launch this pioneering
magazine of literature and literature in translation I am truly indebt to the
translators, the contributors, the contributing authors who granted me the
translation right of their works, the periodicals the newspapers that made
this magazine known to their audience, and the distributors who made this
magazine accessible to the reader. Hope this bridge¾ the Wordbridge,
and the likes in the near future, will bring us together.
N. SAOMAI, Editor, Wordbridge. For guidelines, please click here. Contact information: Fax: (area code 305) 412-2384 Conventional mail: P.O. Box 832464 Miami, Florida 33283 US. Person: N. Saomai, Editor, Wordbridge magazine. ___________________________________________________________ |
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