Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Lost in Translation

Even as we're preparing to launch "SOL," we're also starting to gear up for the June launch of "Ang Batang Maraming Bawal," the winning story of the Romeo Forbes Children's Storywriting Competition in 2006, which was written by Fernando Gonzales, and which will be illustrated by Rodel Tapaya.

As some of you might know, our books carry both English and Tagalog texts, and we are at a loss on how to translate the title. "The Boy Who Couldn't?" "The Restricted Boy?" "The Boy Who Wasn't Allowed to Do a Lot of Things?"

Reminds me of how we were once challenged by our elementary school teacher to translate into English the question, "Pang-ilang presidente si Marcos?"

Or what about, "Lumilindol!" or "Kumikidlat!"

Hmmm... Maybe we should just change the Tagalog title...

2 comments:

Data Tolentino-Canlas said...

hi! what about.. "Because they said I couldn't"?

Just my 2 cents'

the amateur ear said...

Hohum. "The Boy Who Wasn't Allowed to Do a Lot of Things" captures the meaning of "Ang Batang Maraming Bawal" perfectly but it's not very lyrical. I would suggest "The Boy who was Constricted" but it reminded me of The Little Prince and his boa constrictor, haha. Besides, it's too technical and given to ambiguity. I think Laurel Leaf's suggestion is nice, the use of the first person a deft but effective touch.