i always say that to be a translator, you need to be a writer

what i forget to say is that sometimes you need to be a historian, an anthropologist and a researcher of all fields you may end up coming across when translating

i mean, not quite literally all of that, but you do need to know the history, culture and the source expertise of the work you're translating, you know?

and you need to translate it all in a coherent, cohesive and interesting way, hence why you need to be a writer

it's not just "oh look language 1 goes to language 2" like you're hastily carrying a box full of plushies or paper or something that can be carried haphazardly

it's more like remaking a delicate piece and masterfully adapting a version of it with the materials you have in hand

it won't be the same, of course not, sometimes you gotta use a similar material because the original doesn't exist where you are

but you have to make do, to make it recognizable and you gotta respect the spirit and essence of the original piece

think about a sushi chef in another country having to make sushi with local fishes because salmon or tuna aren't easily available

it's still sushi, it's still rice and fish arranged in a sushi-like way, but the fish can't be the same. but you recognize it's sushi and a good one.

that sushi chef had to research which local fishes would be the best, which cuts would bring out the best taste of those fishes and if they could even be consumed while raw. he didn't just catch any local fish and be like "here's sushi everyone". there was research and care.

... boy, now i wanna eat sushi. but good sushi. too bad i can't afford it right now.

i lost myself on the metaphor...