“The original is unfaithful to the translation”
— Jorge Luis Borges
Simplified Meaning:
When you translate something from one language to another, it's hard to keep everything exactly the same. The way people express ideas, emotions, and culture can get lost or change in translation. Imagine reading a poem in Japanese; it might have beautiful words and feelings that don't fully come through in English. Just like when you tell a friend's story to someone else, the details might change a bit because you use different words and expressions. This means the new version isn't exactly the same as the original. To stay true to a message or an idea, it's not always enough to just switch words; you have to understand and convey the deeper meaning too. In real life, this could apply when sharing cultural stories or traditions—it's more important to keep the essence of the story rather than the exact wording. Making sure you understand what’s really important helps you share it with others accurately.