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New York Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
They're Exquisite. They're Divine. They're Incomprehensible. Why?
I recently had the privilege to receive an honorary degree. The diploma is in Latin. I like that. My Latin is approximate, but even when I can't read the words, the fact that diplomas are written in a different and antique language gives them an air of distinction, distance, gravitas. Pondering that effect reminded me that some people feel the same way about how we encounter opera. I couldn't agree less. The debate over translation in opera is lively and ongoing, but it's more relevant than ever today, when opera companies struggle to attract new audiences and digital distractions lure away even some devoted fans. Like the qwerty keyboard, sitting through a three-or-more-hour performance in a language we don't understand is a peculiar cultural phenomenon we accept only because it's often the only option we're given. It's happenstance. And it's a big part of what keeps opera from reaching more people. In the 1800s and well into the 1900s, it was routine in many countries to present operas in the language of the audience. The music critic Anthony Tommasini wrote, 'Verdi would have found it absurd for a French audience to hear 'Il Trovatore' in Italian. Even in Salzburg and Vienna, Mozart's operas were typically performed in German until World War II.' Wagner expected his works to be translated into French when they were performed in France. I wish I regularly had the chance to experience them in my native language. In Act II of 'Die Walküre' ('The Valkyrie') the god Wotan solemnly recounts the 'Ring' story and reflects on his fate for what can be 20 minutes of rumination. It is a pitiless challenge to theatrical momentum that wears me to a nubbin. (I once watched it sitting next to a very famous singer I will refrain from naming, who was so underwhelmed that he spent the whole section canoodling with the woman he had brought.) If the performance had been in English, at least the audience members would have been able to comprehend what they were struggling through. America used to cherish opera in translation. An English version of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville' was a big hit in New York for season after season between 1819 and 1824 and played in French in New Orleans in 1823. But in the Gilded Age, opera caught on with the wealthy as a symbol of European sophistication, conditioning an idea that to really count, it had to be performed in the original language. In 1961 the classical music critic Harold Schonberg sniffed, 'The fact that the Paris Opera does Verdi in French, or the Berlin Staatsoper does Puccini in German, does not necessarily mean the procedure is right.' The arguments for these translations have 'immoral aspects,' he wrote. 'Instead of wanting to bring people up to the level of music, they are demanding that music be brought down to the level of the people. Their idea is to get people into the opera houses by offering inducements and bribery.' Nevertheless, in the mid-20th century, European opera in English experienced a certain fashion on these shores. Especially cherished were the fresh and singable lyrics of Ruth and Thomas Martin. In their version of Mozart's 'Così Fan Tutte,' instead of the early passage that begins with 'La mia Dorabella capace non è,' we got 'To doubt Dorabella is simply absurd. Completely absurd. She'll always be faithful and true to her word.'' That may not be identical to what its Italian librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte, wrote, but it's exquisite. To the extent that opera in translation acquired real traction here, the advent of supertitles, the simultaneous translations projected above the stage or on the backs of seats, wiped it out in the 1980s. They did spare singers from having to learn the same opera in more than one language. But with supertitles, you're always peeking away from the action, reading when you're supposed to be hearing and never — at least in my experience — feeling truly satisfied. Puccini didn't write 'Madama Butterfly' to be read. Many opera fans object to translation on the grounds that composers set the music to the words carefully, according to the accent patterns and vowel colors of the language in question, in a way that translation can't hope to reproduce. Others note, in particular, how ideally suited Italian, with its open vowels and buttery consonant clusters, happens to be for singing. But the composers of yore had their works translated, despite both of these concerns, because they wanted audiences to understand what they were hearing. I'm with them. It's hard to imagine any English translation of 'La Bohème' that would allow Mimi to introduce herself — on the seven opening notes of 'Sì, mi chiamano Mimi' — as perfectly as she does in the Italian original. Yet to know what Mimi is saying line by line (and she says a good deal; she is deep) is a richer experience than hearing her singing mere syllables, no matter how pretty. As the conductor Mark Wigglesworth wrote in response to this question, 'Few artistic experiences are more complete than understanding singers' words at exactly the moment they are sung.' Of course, operatic diction can make it difficult to understand even in your native language — but not harder than it is to understand a language you don't speak. Plus I find that Anglophone singers can be quite good at getting English across in an operatic voice. My first opera was the Houston Grand Opera's production of 'Porgy and Bess' when it came to Philadelphia when I was 10. I'm sure I missed the occasional word or sentence, but the singers did their job with the diction, and I had no trouble overall. (I will never forget Clamma Dale's fierce and eternal Bess and Wilma Shakesnider's Serena, who made me realize in one song that life is complicated.) Singing in a language that you speak as a native and that the audience understands also makes for better acting. In Vienna in the 1950s, performances of Mozart's operas shifted from German to the original Italian, largely because of the influence of the maestro Herbert von Karajan. The famed soprano Phyllis Curtin recounted the effect on two seasoned German-speaking actors: 'After we switched to Italian, all of a sudden, because the Viennese audience didn't understand them in the same way, these two consummate artists started acting like the Marx Brothers.' As they used to say, I'm hip. A quarter-century ago, I flirted with becoming an opera singer, and in a summer program I played Antonio the gardener in 'The Marriage of Figaro.' A friend who had seen me doing my yeomanly thing in some local productions of musicals and plays said that as Antonio, I hadn't really connected. I said, 'Yeah, he speaks Italian.' Around the same time, I used 'O Isis und Osiris' from 'The Magic Flute' as an audition and performance song, alternating between the English (by Andrew Porter) and the German. The German version was in no way superior. After a while, I let go of singing opera. The main reason was that despite my exposure to foreign languages, I never could truly understand why we were singing in Italian, French and German. It seemed like something we wouldn't do if we could roll the tape back and start again. The lyricist and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II said he wrote a Black English version of Georges Bizet's 'Carmen,' 'Carmen Jones,' because 'listening to people sing words you didn't understand wasn't much fun.' I highly recommend 'Carmen Jones' as a starter. Try the film and then the EMI recording with Wilhelmenia Fernandez for a more complete version of the score. The Metropolitan Opera is seriously ailing financially, and its attempts to shift to more contemporary programming do not seem to be solving the problem. A suggestion: It should try having all foreign-language operas performed in English and advertising the change. This season 'Aida,' 'Fidelio,' 'Tosca,' 'La Bohème,' 'The Barber of Seville,' 'Tales of Hoffmann,' 'Rigoletto' and 'Salome' all should have been in the language that the greatest portion of the audience in New York speaks and understands. The Opera Theater of St. Louis and the English National Opera are among the companies that saw the light on this long ago. If the Met gets on board, it will surely encounter Schonberg-type naysayers. But a little controversy would only stir up curiosity — and ticket sales. Tradition is fine but should never be an end in its own right. And even the greatest composers agreed: Opera is better when you can understand it.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Espresso Translations Offers Specialized Services to Meet Milano's Evolving Needs
05/22/2025, London // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // Espresso Translations Milano has recently responded to the growing need of businesses for quality language service providers. Businesses across Milano are under increasing pressure to meet international standards in legal, medical, financial, and technical sectors. Cross-border communication becomes vital to compliance and global expansion, prompting companies to turn to language service providers who understand both industry expectations and linguistic precision. Espresso Translations lent a helping hand to these clients with its certified services, helping organizations remain competitive, accurate, and globally aligned. As global regulations tighten, financial institutions, healthcare providers, law firms, and tech companies can no longer afford translation errors. They need precision built for high-stakes, governed environments. With over a decade of experience, Espresso Translations Milano offers certified support in more than 150 languages, each project managed by native-speaking linguists with industry expertise. Every assignment undergoes a structured quality review to ensure clarity, legal soundness, and readiness for official use. 'Translation today is about enabling decisions, deals, and compliance in real time,' said a spokesperson for Espresso Translations Milano. 'What sets us apart in Milano isn't just our language range. It's our ability to adapt to the legal, medical, and technical demands of each project.' The company provides specialized services including sworn and apostille translations. They are commonly required in legal, government, and healthcare contexts. Its language portfolio spans French, German, Spanish, Dutch, and Russian, as well as Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. From corporate filings and clinical documentation to CVs, contracts, academic theses, and digital content, Espresso Translations helps clients meet jurisdictional standards with speed and precision. Each assignment is handled by linguists trained in relevant terminology, ensuring consistency with sector norms. Paired with fast turnaround capabilities, these services allow businesses to manage international documentation efficiently without sacrificing accuracy. It has a high-end client base, including Jaguar, Forbes, EY, Universal, and National Geographic. The company has built a reputation for being able to provide quality translations while under pressure, delivering in fields where translation integrity directly affects legal standing and brand trust. Public reviews reinforce this performance. Espresso Translations Milano holds an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on platforms including Google, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber, highlighting its responsiveness and client-focused approach. Leveraging this record of reliability, the Milano-based provider has grown from a traditional translation vendor into a strategic communications partner. It offers special solutions, such as transcription, voiceover, subtitling, and real-time website localization. These services equip clients with tools to manage language across digital and operational channels. Aside from translation and language solutions, the Espresso Translations team also gives same-day quotes to potential clients. It can also accommodate express deliveries. Moreover, it also runs a secure client portal, enabling streamlined access and global readiness. As legal oversight expands and linguistic accuracy becomes essential to operational credibility, Espresso Translations Milano continues to lead with services designed for compliance-intensive industries. In a market where detail matters and timelines are tight, the company delivers the tailored language support that enables Milano's businesses to succeed on a global stage. To explore services or request a quote, visit About Espresso Translations Espresso Translations provides certified and industry-specialized translation and localization services to global businesses. With over ten years of experience and coverage in over 150 languages, the company helps clients meet legal standards, streamline communication, and scale internationally. Based in Milano, Italia, it pairs linguistic precision with cultural fluency to support organizations operating in multilingual and regulated environments. ### Media Contact Espresso Translations Address: Foro Buonaparte 59, 20121 - Milano, Italia Phone: +39 02 9475 0226 Website: Source published by Submit Press Release >> Espresso Translations Offers Specialized Services to Meet Milano's Evolving Needs
Digital Trends
23-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Soundcore demos AI-powered translation tech at Microsoft Build 2025
In a showcase of where audio tech is headed, Soundcore, the premium sub-brand of Anker Innovations, took the stage at Microsoft Build 2025 this week with its AI-enhanced wireless earbuds front and center. The demonstration put generative and real-time translation capabilities — powered by Microsoft Azure — in the spotlight, marking Soundcore's ambitious step toward software-driven audio experiences. The highlight of Soundcore's presence was the Aerofit 2 earbuds, which now come equipped with built-in real-time translation in over 100 languages. Originally launched in 2024, the earbuds received an AI upgrade in March 2025 that allows for bilingual conversations. Attendees experienced two core features: face-to-face translation, which facilitates real-time dialogue between two people speaking different languages, and simultaneous interpretation, aimed at helping users follow along in meetings and lectures without missing a beat. Recommended Videos 'We're excited to be part of Microsoft Build and to demonstrate what's possible when A.I. meets everyday tech,' said Dongping Zhao, president of Anker Innovations. 'Built on deep technical integration and shared innovation goals, we're able to deliver smarter, more intuitive, and responsive audio products for users around the world.' Awarded both iF Design and Red Dot honors this year, the Aerofit2 aims to balance functionality with comfort and design flair. But Anker is already looking ahead. The company teased a next-generation version of its Soundcore earbuds that will leverage Azure's Voice Live API to support full generative voice AI conversations. Their goal is natural, bidirectional interactions with the ability to manage interruptions, cancel echo, suppress noise, and detect end-of-turn cues, all in real time. This deeper Azure integration signals a broader shift for Anker: from hardware-first to hybrid hardware-software solutions. With Microsoft's infrastructure and Anker's R&D muscle, the two aim to redefine what smart audio can do.
Japan Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Manga translators walk a fine line between meaning and mayhem
Translating manga might seem like a dream job — until the フレーミング (furēmingu, 'flaming' or online abuse) starts. Professional translators for such manga titles as 'One Piece' and 'My Hero Academia' have faced major harassment for their decisions. These highly publicized online feuds can get pretty fierce, especially when identity politics get involved. In one such highly publicized case involving the manga 'I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl,' a cross-dressing character in the Japanese original was rendered as a trans woman in English. In this world, nuance is everything and peace is rare. And that's before you even get to the truly hard part: the Japanese language itself. From grammatical ambiguity to context-dependent particles that defy logic and Western equivalents, translating manga isn't just a job — it's a balancing act between fidelity, clarity and, sometimes, not getting yelled at online. So let's break down how the process works, from 翻訳権 (honyakuken, translation rights) to 出版 (shuppan, publication). 漫画 (Manga) dates back centuries — we're talking 11th or 12th century if you count early narrative picture scrolls — but it didn't explode into a full-blown pop culture phenomenon until after World War II. By the 1980s, manga had crossed oceans, entering markets in Europe, North America and continental Asia. From the action-packed battles of 少年漫画 (shōnen manga, boys manga) to the brooding love stories of 女性漫画 (josei manga, womens manga); from videogame-fueled 異世界漫画 (isekai manga, other-world manga) to the deeply relatable experiences of スクールライフ漫画 (sukūru raifu manga, school life manga), there's now a manga for pretty much every mood, genre or oddly specific niche imaginable. While there are countless large and small publishers of manga in Japan — ranging from publisher mega-corporations such as 小学館 (Shōgakukan) or 集英社 (Shueisha) to niche publishers and 同人誌 (dōjinshi, self-published zines/manga) — for the most part, only comics from the big Japanese publishers make it into English and other languages. By and large, 海外の出版社 (kaigai no shuppansha, overseas publishers) select manga that are ベストセラー (besutoserā, bestsellers) in Japan and release them alongside their accompanying アニメ (anime). Japanese publishers tend to have established relationships with other big American publishing companies, so small or minor English presses tend to not be able to freely 翻訳権を取得する (honyakuken o shutoku suru, obtain translation rights). Behind the scenes, of course, there lies another major part of the manga translation world: 海賊版 (kaizokuban, pirated editions). Digital piracy is incredibly widespread for manga due to passionate and dedicated fans, who make new series and releases available illegally online by means of スキャンレーション (sukanrēshon, scanlation), which refers to the scanning, translating and uploading of comics without permission. スキャンレーションにおいて、新しい漫画が海外で人気になる場合も多い (Sukyanrēshon ni oite, atarashii manga ga kaigai de ninki ni naru baai mo ōi, Through scanlation, there are many cases where new manga become popular overseas). Once a title is greenlit, English-language publishers typically establish use of a スタイルガイド (sutairu gaido, style guide). These rulebooks handle things such as 敬称 (keishō, honorifics) like さん (san) and 様 (sama), 描き文字の効果音 (kakimoji no kōkaon, hand-drawn sound effects), 氏名の順序 (shimei no junjo, name order) and 吹き出しの句読点 (fukidashi no kutōten, speech bubble punctuation marks). They'll also have rules to answer questions like whether 中学 (chūgaku) should be rendered as 'middle school' or 'junior high,' or how to translate 終助詞 (shūjoshi, sentence-ending particles) like the breezy わ (wa) or the tough-guy ぜ (ze), which can drastically change tone. For instance: 取りに行きますわ (Tori ni ikimasu wa, I'll go get it) might become: 'I'm off to fetch it.' 取りに行ってくるぜ (Tori ni itte kuru ze, I'll go get it) could be: 'I'll get my paws on that sucker.' Same verb, wildly different vibe. That's the power of 終助詞, as well as the fact that the former uses 丁寧語 (teineigo, polite speech [with ~desu/~masu endings]) while the latter doesn't. Once the 翻訳原稿 (honyaku genkō, translation draft) is complete, the manuscript will go on for 編集 (henshū, editing) and 校正 (kōsei, proofreading). The 編集者 (henshūsha, editor) will check for stylistic and voice concerns, while the 校正者 (kōseisha, proofreader) checks for grammar issues only. After that, there is レタリング (retaringu, lettering) or 文字入れ (mojiire, text-insertion), where a lettering professional replaces the Japanese text with English. Often, letterers will have to make difficult decisions about レタッチ (retatchi, retouching) or 画像修正 (gazō shūsei, image correction), involving fixing up text backgrounds, redrawing certain pieces of art that need to be erased to accommodate the English text, or formatting specific types of text like newspapers or shop signs. The オノマトペ (onomatope, onomatopoeia) used in 効果音 (kōkaon, sound effects) can be some of the most difficult parts to translate and letter in a manga. Large katakana characters such as ダ (da), バ (ba) and ドン(don) can appear on almost any page, covering meanings that range from a dramatic 'da-dum' to a sly 'grin' and an explosive 'kablooey' — all depending on context. In fact, 効果音 cover three different categories of オノマトペ: 擬音語 (Giongo), which include literal sound effects such as ガタガタ (gata-gata, rattle) and ゴロゴロ (goro-goro, rumble) 擬態語 (Gitaigo), which are mimetic words such as ジメジメ (jime-jime, soaking wet) or ぼんやり(bonyari, vague/indistinct) 擬声語 (Giseigo), which are actual human or animal noises like あはは (ahaha, haha/laughter) or うぎゃー (ugyā, shriek/scream) Localizing them takes a fine ear, a good thesaurus and a lot of creativity. Translators say that manga localization is a lot different from how it used to be. 翻訳家 (Honyakuka, Translators) used to translate Japanese very liberally, using 意訳 (iyaku, free translation) rather than 直訳 (chokuyaku, literal translation). But in today's internet-savvy, fandom-literate world, readers want the real deal. Literal translations and cultural notes are in; creative rewrites are out. In fact, the use of British or American スラング (surangu, slang) upsets certain fanbases for lacking a sense of 'authentic' Japanese-ness. Manga frequently include unusual, slangy speech, making this issue all the more common. Take a line of text like, よお、にいちゃん、どうだい？ (Yō, niichan, dō dai?, Hey, older brother [familiar suffix], how's it going [casual]?). You could keep it literal: 'Hey, big bro, what's happening?' Or do more to capture the atmosphere of the original: 'Ayyo, big man! What's the word?' Which approach is better? 焼き鳥 (Yakitori) as 'yakitori' or 'chicken skewers'? お兄ちゃん (Oniichan) as 'big brother' or 'buddy/pal'? It will be up to the next generations of manga readers, fans and translators to find the answer.
Times of Oman
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
Indian writer and activist wins International Booker Prize
Mysore: Banu Mushtaq, the Indian writer and activist, was awarded the International Booker Prize on Tuesday for her short story collection "Heart Lamp," the first Kannada-language author to win the prize for translated fiction. The 77-year-old Mushtaq will share the £50,000 ($67,000, €59,300) prize with her translator Deepa Bhasthi, who also helped with picking the stories featured in the award-winning collection. This marks the first time that a collection of short stories receives the award. It also makes Bhasthi the first Indian translator to win the prize in its current form, adopted in 2016. The annual International Booker Prize is run alongside the Booker Prize for English-language fiction, but the latter is handed out in the fall. The award ceremony was held at London's Tate Modern Museum, and announced by bestselling Booker Prize-longlisted author Max Porter, who chairs the five-member voting panel. Porter hailed "Heart Lamp" as "something genuinely new for English readers." "These beautiful, busy, life-affirming stories rise from Kannada, interspersed with the extraordinary socio-political richness of other languages and dialects," said Porter. "It speaks of women's lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power and oppression." During her acceptance speech, Mushtaq described the award as a "great honour," saying she was receiving it "not as an individual but as a voice raised in chorus with so many others." "This moment feels like a thousand fireflies lighting a single sky -- brief, brilliant and utterly collective," she said. Kannada is spoken by some 65 million people, primarily in southern India. Mushtaq wrote the short stories featured in the collection between 1990 and 2023. Bhasthi's curation and translation was keen to preserve the multilingual nature of southern India.
