When evaluating hymn translations, what makes them good? I'm writing an article on the subject, and while I have a number of opinions, it would help me to hear others' views.
Are we talking principally Latin to English? Or a continental European language (such as French, Italian, German, Spanish, or Swedish) to English? Or a Slavic language, such as Church Slavonic, Russian, Polish, or Ukrainian to English? Or to a language other than English.
Does one preserve the meter or not? I know one usually tries, but this isn't always advisable, depending upon the source and target languages (I once translated a trochaic-66.86 meter Ukrainian carol to a 77.87 meter version with some success).
In poetical translations of poetry, one often encounters the perfect literal translation of a word or short phrase that is completely unpoetic, causing great consternation to the translator. One then has a huge problem to solve in order to find something that comes as close as possible to the original in spirit, in meaning, and in rhythm/rhyme.
The closeness of the relationship between the translator and Cardinal Newman.
Here's a routine reminder: Avoid flames: critique principles, not people. Be discriminating but don't nitpick. Be academic not acerbic. Be principled not polemical.
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