This was my first real attempt at translating an extended passage, and I quickly learned that translation is not an easy feat to do alone. I’d like to thank the following people for all of the help that they have given me along the way.
To my classmates:
Rob, Brendon and Flavia – You guys are arguably some of the most talented translators I’ve encountered. Brendon, you know so many languages and have an impeccable knowledge of linguistics! Half the time that you tried to explain things to me about language structures, I didn’t know what you were talking about but just nodded my head to not seem stupid. I know you’ll go far in whatever literary field you go in to and I wish you the best, man. Rob, your translations are so fluid and have such a rhythm to them to the point that you make translation seem like an easy task. I can only imagine how good your thesis was. You’re also kind of scaringly good with computer stuff. I wonder what you’re not good at… Flavia, I’ll never forget the translation/adaptation that you did of Macbeth Act V, scene v. Placing the classic drama into a modern, Italian mob-run city context was bold, yet you did an amazing job balancing the contradicting tasks of preserving elements of the classic and modernizing other parts. I hope my translation of R&J will have even the slightest fraction of originality that your translation of Macbeth had.
Nico and Irma– I’m glad that you guys were in my class, because I feel as if my knowledge and appreciation for Spanglish has grown due to your contributions. Nico, you’re one of the chillest guys I know and you likewise did a great translation of Macbeth Act V, scene v… into a formal-Spanglish! I never thought such a thing could exist before I read your essay. Many thanks as well for all of the comments you made on my rough drafts using Hypothes.is and for all the times that you helped me figure out how to use this website. Best of luck after graduation and I hope to run into you again, maybe if our pre-med paths cross! Irma, congrats on the Spanish thesis! I’m not sure what language you’ll be translating into, but I’m confident you’ll translate the book masterfully into any language you speak. This is beside the point, but if there is a superlative for best smile I would definitely vote for yours. I always enjoy being in a class with you because your happiness is contagious.
Jacqui and Felipe– Firstly, like Nico and Irma, you guys dominate the Spanish language much better than I can only hope to, but more importantly your comments in class always left me in awe. Felipe, you’re certainly a man who isn’t afraid to stick to his own opinions, but I admire your resolution. You definitely take joy in reasoning and philosophizing about language, and it’s always a pleasure to hear your take on things. Jacqui, I similarly was humbled by the perspicacious comments you would bring up during class discussions. I could always perceive both your knowledge of and enthusiasm about translation and the Spanish language, and honestly found it hard to answer some the questions you posed in discussions simply due to how well-formed and insightful they were.
To my professors:
Professor Stavans- I still can’t believe I hadn’t taken a class with you until the second semester of my junior year. On the one hand I wish we’d met sooner, but on the other hand I’m glad you met me once I’d matured and grown out of my shell at Amherst. There are many things I’d like to thank you for that pertain to events outside of the classroom, but I guess the main reason I’m thankful as it pertains to this class is the fact that you gave me a voice that I didn’t knew I had before. It takes a lot of courage to defend Spanglish, the “bastardization” or “adulteration” of two distinct languages, and I’d been ashamed that I couldn’t speak proper Spanish for most of my life. I wanted to become fluent in Spanish; I didn’t want to be called a gringo who couldn’t pronounce words the right way when I visited Puerto Rico. While I’m still on my quest to become fully fluent in Spanish (solely because I love the language, not because of self-insecurities anymore), I’ve learned to be proud of the fact that I also speak Spanglish. You’ve turned my weakness into a strength, and your various translations into Spanglish have given a voice to millions of American Hispanics that go through the same identity crisis. Thank you, Profesor.
Professor Galasso- Thank you so much for your extensive comments on every paper that I wrote; part of being a good writer is learning from your mistakes. I similarly am very thankful for the several comments that you made on my translation drafts using Hypothes.is; there were so many simple grammatical errors I made that would have been open to the public eye if you had not pointed them out to me! Lastly, you did a great job of leading activities in class and I truly hope you get tenure (I promise my evaluation comments will be great!). You’re hilarious, approachable, and yet also expect a lot from your students, all qualities which make for an invaluable professor. I am lucky to have taken a class with you.
Chris- You are an insanely smart graduate student. From a potential physics major, to a philosophy major, and now a translator (if I got your introduction on the first day of class right), you’ve definitely experienced intellectualism in all its forms. More precisely, however, I feel as if you have been and continue to be at the intersection of reasoning and art; I would argue that physics, philosophy, and translation deal with theoretical elements as much as they do with concrete ones, and I think your broad background actually strengthens your perspective as a translator. The activities you had us do and the questions you posed in discussion always challenged me to see things in a different way, and I’m glad I did so. I wish you the best of luck as you move on with your career.
A mi familia y mis amigos:
Muchas gracias primero por ayudarme emocionalmente y mentalmente durante mis tiempos estresantes en Amherst; todavía me falta un año para obtener el bachillerato, pero sé que lo podre lograr con el apoyo de ustedes. También les quiero dar las gracias por ayudarme en escribir el acento puertorriqueño, ayudarme en las grabaciones para el proyecto final, ¡y por haberme avisado que teníamos una estatua de Romeo y Julieta en nuestro sótano! ¡Que coincidencia! Me fue muy útil para el proyecto, y espero que les guste mi traducción de la obra al Spanglish. Osh- ¡practica el español y yo practicaré el sinhala! Te quiero mucho.