Chuir sinn beagan cheistean gu Aonghas Pàdraig Chaimbeal a rinn an t-eadar-theangachadh air ‘Tuathanas nan Creutairean’!
Ciamar a tha Seòras Orwell air buaidh a thoirt ort mar sgrìobhadair ficsein?
Chan eil e air buaidh sam bith a thoirt orm mar sgrìobhadair ficsein. Tha amharas orm mu “litreachas” sam bith a tha “(ro) phoilitigeach”, oir saoilidh mi gur e an cunnart gu bheil beachdan an sgrìobhaiche buailteach gabhail thairis o fhìrinn an sgeòil.
Tha mi nas dèidheile air an fheallsanachd aig Kundera nach eil “dleastanas” sam bith air sgrìobhaiche ach “sgrìobhadh gu math!” Air sin a ràdh, tha na sgeòil anns an dà leabhar ud aig Orwell – Tuathanas nan Creutairean agus 1984 – làidir gu leòr son faighinn thairis na teachdaireachd.
Aig deireadh an leabhair, mìnichidh tu d’ adhbhar airson eadar-theangachadh a chur air Animal Farm, ach, nad bheachd-sa, ciamar a tha Tuathanas nan Creutairean a’ leasachadh obair Orwell?
Saoilidh mi gu bheil drochaidean sam bith a thèid a thogail eadar cànain cuideachail. A thaobh an sgeòil, saoilidh mi gu bheil e nas fhasa ceangal a dhèanamh ri dualchas na Gàidhlig o chionns gur e “uirsgeul” (a fairy story) a thug Orwell fhèin air ‘Animal Farm’. Nach eil an t-uabhas dhiubh againn ann an Gàidhlig?
A bheil thu den bheachd gum faigheadh a’ Ghàidhlig buannachd à barrachd leabhraichean bunaiteach “anglophone” a bhith eadar-theangaichte don Ghàidhlig? Carson a tha sin?
Fhad ’s a tha an rathad a’ dol an dà thaobh. Oir is e an cunnart ma chuireas sinn am beagan neirt a tha againn ann a bhith ag eadar-theangachadh on Bheurla gun tig ar bàthadh buileach glan. Is dòcha gun cuirinn fàilte nas motha air eadar-theangachaidhean o mhin-chànain eile...
Dè a’ phàirt as duilghe gus eadar-theangachadh?
Tha Orwell buailteach “qualifying sentences” caran fada a sgrìobhadh (ge brith dè Ghàidhlig a tha air qs!) agus bha agam ri taghadh cumail gu teann ris an stoidhle sin no gnothaichean a theannachadh...
Cò an caractar as fheàrr leat (a bharrachd air Ball-sneachda)?
Bogsair agus Seamrag. A tha cho dìcheallach agus dìleas agus dùrachdach a dh’aindeoin gach mealladh is bristeadh-cridhe.
Translation
How has George Orwell affected you as a fiction writer?
He hasn’t affected me at all as a fiction writer. I am distrustful of any literature that is “too” political, because I think there is a danger that the author’s opinions overshadow the truth of the tale. I prefer the philosophy of Kundera that the writer isn’t under any “obligation” other than to “write well”! Having said that, the tales in those two books of Orwell’s – Animal Farm and 1984 – are strong enough to put his message across.
At the end of the book, you explain your reasons for translating Animal Farm, but in your opinion, how does Tuathanas nan Creutrairean build on Orwell’s work?
I believe that any bridges built across languages are valuable. About the story, I think it is easy to make a connection with Gaelic heritage because Animal Farm itself it is a symbolic fairy story, and don’t we have a lot of those in Gaelic?
Do you think that Gaelic would benefit from more classic anglophone literature being translated into Gaelic? Why?
So long as the road goes both ways. There is a danger that if we put all our effort into translating works from English that Gaelic literature will be completely drowned out. I would perhaps be more welcome to translations from other fine languages…
What was the hardest part of the translation?
Orwell is prone to using “qualifying sentences” which are quite long, and I either had to keep very close to that style or decide to make them more concise.
Who is your favourite character (apart from Snowball)?
Boxer and Clover. They are so diligent and loyal and sincere, despite each betrayal and heartbreak.