Gregory Rabassa Quotes

#1. When you hear Portuguese, if you're listening fleetingly, it's as if you're hearing Russian, which never happens with Spanish. Because the Portuguese and the Russians share the open vowels and the dark "L," the "owL" sound.

Gregory Rabassa

#2. So the poor translator must not just go back and forth between two languages, but if he is worthy of his calling must shift between two selves, with all the perils of this induced schizophrenia.

Gregory Rabassa

#3. Translation is a disturbing craft because there is precious little certainty about what we are doing, which makes it so difficult in this age of fervent belief and ideology, this age or greed and screed.

Gregory Rabassa

#4. I have always maintained that translation is essentially the closest reading one can possibly give a text. The translator cannot ignore "lesser" words, but must consider every jot and tittle.

Gregory Rabassa

#5. The translator, we should know, is a writer too. As a matter of fact, he could be called the ideal writer because all he has to do is write; plot, theme, characters, and all other essentials have already been provided, so he can just sit down and write his ass off. (p. 8)

Gregory Rabassa

#6. Every act of communication is an act of translation.

Gregory Rabassa

#7. A translator is essentially a reader and we all read differently, except that a translator's reading remains in unchanging print

Gregory Rabassa

#8. A translation can never equal the original; it can approach it, and its quality can only be judged as to accuracy by how close it gets.

Gregory Rabassa

#9. Teaching translation is more of an editing job. You act as editor. But you can have fun with it.

Gregory Rabassa