Due to sudden unforeseen circumstances, Michael Emmerich will not be able to present on July 13. However, we are delighted that literary translator, Professor Charles De Wolf, has kindly consented to speak for us instead. Details below.
The late and lamented Edward Seidensticker once remarked that it was the difficult works of Japanese literature that gave him the greatest pleasure as a translator. Prominent among them were those of Kawabata Yasunari and, of course, The Tale of Genji. In this talk, De Wolf shall first focus on the language of Genji, contrasting the seeming simplicity (relatively speaking!) of Classical Japanese grammar with the daunting challenges posed by Murasaki Shikibu’s use of it. He shall then turn to translation issues, specifically in regard to register and style, expanding this latter topic to include modern literature as well.
The format of the session will be 90 minutes of presentation and discussion, followed by 30 minutes Q&A. The language of the presentation will be English, though comments in Japanese will certainly be welcome.
Charles De Wolf is professor emeritus at Keio University. Originally a morpho-syntactician and historical linguist, he has returned as a translator to his first love: literature, publishing the works of a dozen or so Japanese authors, both modern and classical, including excerpts from Konjaku Monogatari, an Akutagawa Ryunosuke collection, a short story by Tanizaki Jun’ichiro, Hino Keizo’s Yume no Shima (Isle of Dreams), non-fiction by Murakami Haruki, and fiction by Itoyama Akiko. Most recently, he co-translated, with Ralph McCarthy and Ginny Tapley Takemori, Murakami Ryu’s Hanto wo deyo (From the Fatherland With Love). He also delves into German and French translations of Japanese literature, especially The Tale of Genji.
Date: Saturday, July 13th, 2013
Time: 14:00-17:00
Doors open: 13:30
Place: Forum 8, Shibuya
Address: Dogenzaka 2-10-17, Shibuya, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3780-0008
Cost: JAT members free, Non-members 1,000 yen (advance registration not necessary)
Koryukai: from 17:15 (advance registration is not necessary, register and pay at seminar reception)
Venue: The Aldgate British Pub
Cost: 2,000 yen (Food only/cash bar)
Inquiries: Tokyo Activities Committee
The video and material are available for JAT members.