Interview with Harry Porter translator

VietNamNet Bridge – Although she may be far from her home country living in the US, Ly Lan is working on a collection of Vietnamese literature in English and Chinese, in the desire to introduce Vietnamese literature to readers worldwide.

As a writer, Lan is also well-known among young Vietnamese readers crazed by her translations of Harry Potter into Vietnamese.

She spoke about her latest project.

• Why do you want to set up a collection of Vietnamese literature in English and Chinese?

I have this simple idea: We have such rich, fascinating literature but a large portion of this treasure is unavailable to people who don’t read Vietnamese. Why don’t we try to make it available in more popular languages.

• Do you think it will be a good way to introduce Vietnamese literature to the world? And why?

Ly Lan. Photo: www1.thanhnien.com.vn

I’ve had many opportunities to attend book fairs all over the world and feel somewhat unsatisfied. I want to introduce Vietnamese works of literature to my friends but I have difficulty finding quality translations they can access.

The situation is the same in Vietnam. It’s difficult to find Vietnamese works translated into English contemporary literature on any bookshelf.

I imagine readers buy translated books for studying or entertaining, as it has the potential to be such a unique gift.

Obviously these books must be good and available the reader’s languages. English is now the most widespread language, and about one and a half billion people speak Chinese in the world. Chinese is also popular in the Southeast Asia region. It’s time to have Vietnamese literature available in English and Chinese.

• Who will be the readers of this collection?

Anyone that is interested in Vietnamese literature. I know quite a few people of various cultural backgrounds who are curious about our contemporary work. I hope there are more of them among the communities of foreigners in Vietnam, tourists to Vietnam, and people of Vietnamese origin in other countries.

• Could you tell us how the project will be carried out?

It actually began back in 2006 when I brought up the topic with my friends and received their hearty support. By last March Bich Ngan, the executive director of Van Nghe Publishing House and a young accomplished writer, and I reached an agreement on working together on this project.

We first asked for recommendations on remarkable literary works from critics, readers, and our peer writers. After negotiating the copyrights we’ll have the selected writings translated into English and/or Chinese.

The translations we find satisfactory will be published by the publishing house and sold at bookstores of FAHASA, the Phuong Nam company, and on-line bookstores as well.

• Are you encountering any difficulties with your project?

Yes. This is a pioneer project of a group of authors in HCM City and southern provinces, most are female and inexperienced in the business of publishing books in foreign languages.

The most difficult task is to get a beautifully written Vietnamese poem or fiction translated well into a language that is not the translator’s mother tongue. We are working very hard on this challenge and fortunately have the assistance of enthusiastic writers and scholars who are native speakers of the target languages.

One time I showed a Vietnamese poem translated by me to an American doctor/professor. He read the poem many times and said there was no need to edit because he didn’t find out any dictation and grammar mistakes.

After discussing the poem with me, poet Bruce Weigl changed around the wording and punctuation of the translation. He then concluded it is a good poem.

I later performed the translation in public and many listeners were also receptive to the work. The professor was even surprised when he read it again.

I think a good editor is the key to success.

(Source: Viet Nam News)