The treasure trove of song lyrics in other languages
By: Yaritza Padilla
How can you listen to music in a language you do not understand? In regard to the language of music, oftentimes we may only really need to understand the feelings behind the sounds, rhythms, notes, pronunciations, and such to grasp the overall theme of a song. However, increased global interconnectedness allows for easy access to a wide variety of translations. But which translation is most correct? Many people have heard the phrase “lost in translation”, but what if we are finding it by looking through a different lens. The message tends to be lost when something is transcribed rather than translated. Where a transcription is the literal word-for-word translation rather than a new and creative way to relay meaning. Each language is unique, and the same words may play distinct roles when put together within a conversation. A good translation focuses on the message intended to be relayed rather than the original words. The best translators are unafraid to utilize different words that better capture the sentiments behind what the artists truly want to communicate to their audience.
In the realm of K-pop the growth of the global market has created a higher demand for translations. While companies have implemented teams of official translators, a wave of creativity from the audience themselves has led to a wider variation of both translations and meanings. Fans often employ social media platforms to search for and discover a translation or translator whose creative approach to language renders best their own understanding of the meaning behind a song. If the official translation released by the company does not evoke the same feelings within the fan as the original song itself, then translation accounts within various social media platforms may offer more creative and meaningful interpretations.
An English cover for “Fake Love” by BTS was produced by the youtuber JLyrics Official, in which they strayed from the company’s official translations in order to discover a more profound meaning. The original translation, although effectively communicating the song’s message, does not succeed in creating that extra layer of sentimental depth that a translation whose lyrics match the music can produce. Official lyrics: “Mold a pretty lie for you Love it’s so mad (x2) Trying to erase myself and make me your doll” versus unofficial: “A perfect illusion created for you Love you so mad (x2) A beautiful doll thrown away when you’re through”. The ending rhymes alone create a stronger appeal to the ear and overall greater emotional passion is sparked when lyrics do not awkwardly miss match the rhythm of the music. In regard to language, multilingual fans may find a greater intensity of meaning and understanding in a particular language’s translation over another. The song “I NEED U” by BTS carries immense power within the English translation, yet in Spanish the song is given an entirely new life in which the emotions are truly raw and fresh. Official lyrics: “You’re beautiful You’re so cold” versus unofficial: “Y es que me encantas Tu a mi me matas”. Despite both translations relaying the same message, each language has drastically different forms of communication and words of expression. Unlocking several new words that yield extraordinary emotional value to that particular audience. In the English version the lyrics compare a person’s beauty to their cold behavior, while in Spanish it expresses the person’s ability to have the artist completely under their spell and kill them with ease. The word encantas comes from the root word encanto which directly translates to charm, often associated with magical spells and such.
When translating a work, the translator is responsible for ensuring that the text is able to “function at its best in its new context.”. The new context being a new language that may differ in sentence structure, word variation, and letters. There are cases in which there is no equivalent term or words “are just not sayable in certain languages.”. Consequently, “translating makes us more aware of language, of its possibilities and its limitations. Translation enables us to see sometimes with sharpness things we have always taken for granted.”. For example, the Korean alphabet consists of 10 vowels and 14 consonants with a total of 24 letters, while English consists of 5 vowels and 21 consonants for a total of 26 letters. In regard to basic sentence structure English follows a subject-verb-object structure and the Korean structure would be subject-object-verb. Moreover, certain phenomena within a language’s culture may have a word that within another language does not exist. Take the Korean word aegyo, which refers to acting super cute and adorable. English does not have a direct translation, thus in order for a translator to fulfill their responsibility they are allotted the freedom to make drastic changes. Essentially creating a whole new piece of text, yet remaining true to the original text’s intentions. A translator is “not merely copying or reproducing a text,” but rewriting it.
“Translation and creation are twin processes”. The meanings behind lyrics to a song are only truly lost when solely transcribed: copied into another language. Responsible translation however, involves a rewriter: one who filters the work of another through their own artistic mastery of language. Translation is more of a “collaboration between writers, as a relationship that spans time, place and linguistic difference.” It is also the means by which people worldwide are able to connect with one another, especially artists reaching out to wide audiences. Incredible pieces often go unrecognized simply because of their creation in a language others are unable to understand. Nevertheless the responsibility of a translator is to create the piece within languages that the artist alone could never produce. The only way for a translator to be truly responsible is through the freedom of recreation. When done right nothing is lost in translation, rather new perspectives, deeper meanings, and a greater understanding of the work is found. With something new to be discovered within every language’s translation.
However, there are also “dangers of error” for fan translators who are not working directly with a company and do not have access to the artist or song writers. Without such accessibility fans are unable to ensure they have the right interpretation of a song’s original intent. Relying on their abilities to interpret the meaning behind the original lyrics through their own feelings and research, which may lead to incorrect translations. Additionally, when making a translation of a translation it becomes easier to venture astray from the original interpretation. A person who only speaks English and Spanish, for example, would need to wait for someone else to translate a K-pop song to English before translating the song into Spanish. While not impossible, the second translator must find a fully reliable, or responsible, first translator to ensure their own translation aligns with the messages behind the original song. Nonetheless, language is a barrier that can be overcome. Emotions are universal and the power of music to evoke them transcends words. Translations are not impossible, but necessary to unlock worlds and ideas we never knew existed. As long as they transmit the correct message, how it is relayed should be explored by the translator, responsibly and creatively. In doing so nothing is truly lost, but found.