Ounce of Pound
Another point miscomprehended by people who are clumsy at language is that one does not need to learn a whole language in order to understand some one or some dozen poems. It is often enough to understand thoroughly the poem, and every one of the few dozen or few hundred words that compose it.
– “How to Read”
Tags: Bill Murray, ezra pound, How to Read, ScarJo
sometimes you can focus too much on the technical and lose the greater meaning.
i think it depends on the work being read.
sometimes you can focus too much on the technical and lose the greater meaning.
i think it depends on the work being read.
This quote made me feel good about possibilities. I don’t speak/read any other languages. I always think in terms of “if I want to read Villon I better learn French, then somehow also learn Medeival French,” neither of which is ever going to happen. Pound makes me feel like I could just learn the particular poems I’m interested in- the English versions, the French originals, some stuff about what those French words mean and why the translation was done a certain way. His whole jam in “How to Read” is that you get a lot more mileage, learning-wise, out of depth over breadth.
This quote made me feel good about possibilities. I don’t speak/read any other languages. I always think in terms of “if I want to read Villon I better learn French, then somehow also learn Medeival French,” neither of which is ever going to happen. Pound makes me feel like I could just learn the particular poems I’m interested in- the English versions, the French originals, some stuff about what those French words mean and why the translation was done a certain way. His whole jam in “How to Read” is that you get a lot more mileage, learning-wise, out of depth over breadth.
justin,
yeah i agree on the translated work. people think a haiku is 5 7 5 but when translated from japanese is clearly not 5 7 5.
i don’t think it tangible to expect a person to learn another language though. i mean we are not talking about conversational french but high academic understanding.
unless you have a super brain like pound.
super brain and logic deficiency that is.
justin,
yeah i agree on the translated work. people think a haiku is 5 7 5 but when translated from japanese is clearly not 5 7 5.
i don’t think it tangible to expect a person to learn another language though. i mean we are not talking about conversational french but high academic understanding.
unless you have a super brain like pound.
super brain and logic deficiency that is.
I like this quote, too, and am a big fan of depth over breadth (at a certain age, when younger, you should go for breadth). On a simple note, it is about not being neurotic about what kind of reader you are.
But I think reading and learning other languages is a fucking great thing, if you can do it. Don’t have kids? Have some way to swing it? Live somewhere wierd for a solid year and throw yourself into that world. It is not feasible for everyone, but if you can do it, do it. This has less to do with literature, and more to do with life, but the two are very connected for many of us.