Differences in Translation

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experiences.

Another relevant difference is word choice. The two translations of the poem used many words and phrases that were synonymous, but had different connotations. Trzeciak’s translation had more formal word choice, while Baranczak and Cavanagh’s translation had informal word choice, and used phrases that are more common. An example in which different word choice is used is sixth line of the poem: “there will be perhaps two in a thousand” (trans. Trzeciak 6) and “you might end up with something like two per thousand” (trans. Baranczak and Cavanagh 6). In Trzeciak’s translation, the more formal word choice and sentence structure make the poem less relatable. She doesn’t use words and phrases that are used in everyday life, which makes the poem less engaging. Baranczak and Cavanagh’s translation used a common phrase and colloquial word choice. This makes the reader more interested in the poem, because it’s easy to understand and interpret, because they’re reading language that they use in everyday life. When the reader feels like the author is talking to them like a friend would, it becomes easier to connect

to the poem. The use of informal, everyday language in Baranczak and Cavanagh’s translation of the poem make it easier for the reader to interpret and connect to the poem, while the use of formal language in Trzeciak’s translation distances the author from the reader, and makes it harder for the reader to relate to the poem.

The two translations of Some People Like Poetry have many differences that greatly change the tone of the poem, and therefore change how it is viewed by the reader and how the reader is able to interpret and connect to the poem.