Fehmida Zakeer has been writing for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared in several print and online publications including Indian Quarterly, Rose and Thorn Journal, Out of Print Magazine, Asian Cha, The Bangalore Review, Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, Muse India, The Hindu and others. A story of hers was chosen by the National Library Board of Singapore for the 2013 edition of their annual READ Singapore anthology.
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| Fehmida Zakeer |
Recently, Fehmida Zakeer translated from Malayalam to English the book, “The Dreams of a Mappila Girl” by BM Zuhara. The book is set at the time when independent India was embracing its new identity as a free nation. It offers a rare portrait of women in Muslim households in North Kerala through the lens of a woman writer. Zuhara showcases how women, bound as they were by the rules of society, still managed to hold key positions in their family and had an important voice in the discussions concerning their lives, contrary to popular perception.
Let us hear from Fehmida about her recent translation and the opportunities and challenges in the field.
1. How did you get the opportunity to translate from Malayalam to English the book “The Dreams of a Mappila Girl”?
A senior editor introduced me to this book and suggested that I should translate it since I hailed from the same Kerala region as the author. The book interested me immensely not only because I could relate to the dialect and the landscape depicted in the book but also because of the time period of the narrative. The author gave a first-hand description of the time just after India had become independent. In the book, she offers a glimpse into the inner workings of her household and the community she was living in against the larger events happening in the country. It felt as if we were being given a microscopic view of life within a small community against the backdrop of major changes in the larger fabric of the country.
2.
The story was set in the early years of Independent India. Was it challenging
to translate Malayalam words that matched that generation in semi-rural India?
The language of the book appealed to me because the author had written the book in the dialect of the people of the Malabar region in Kerala. But there were phrases and words that are not commonly used, and I collaborated with the author closely to get the terms right. Zuhara ma’am was very particular about getting the exact words in English and actively helped me search for the right words in some specific cases.
3.
What is your work pattern when you translate, write, or edit? How does your day
and tasks move on?
While translating, I first write in a notebook and then transfer it to the computer after completing each chapter. I tend to do the first drafts in the morning and take up researching, editing and everything else later in the day. I find it difficult to work in the afternoons, so after putting in a couple of hours in the morning, I work again in the evening for a couple of hours.
Fehmida at Singapore READ Festival
4.
Were there parts of the book, when you had to discuss about the content with
the author Zuhara before translating?
Before starting the project, I spoke with the author to get her thoughts on how she wanted me to approach the work. After the first draft was done, I took it to the author and we went through it thoroughly. In the subsequent edits, I conferred with her at various points to clarify changes regarding certain expressions and terms.
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| An Excerpt from the Book - Picture Credit Roshan Nageena |
5. What are the other translations you have done from Malayalam to English and vice versa?
I have translated CS Chandrika’s short stories. One of the stories, “Kleptomania,” was published in Muse India, and another one, “Reply Expected” was published in the Sahitya Academy journal, Indian Literature.
6.
Do you use any online translation tools to help you when you translate? What
are the drawbacks of such tools?
I haven’t checked out any online translation tools because I really feel that translation goes beyond just turning the language of a book from one to another. Translation is about conveying emotions and feelings beyond what’s written, evoking the same landscape of experiences as in the original language as far as possible. This needs close reading and understanding, which I feel needs a human touch. Maybe I am old-fashioned!
7.
How does being a writer and editor help you in translation? Are you sometimes
tempted to rewrite instead of doing a line-by-line translation?
I don’t think a word-by-word translation would be reader-friendly, considering how the rules of grammar, sentence construction, etc. are different among languages. However, this also does not suggest that a translator should edit the original or do a rewrite; they just have the artistic license to capture the nuances of the original work in the best way possible. The language in the memoir is unpretentious and heart-touching; I have tried to capture the conversational tone along with its native flavour as best as I could.
8.
In general, what are the challenges and opportunities in the field of
translation?
Getting the interpretation and tone right is crucial while translating. Also, when books are written in specific dialects within a language, the translator has to be aware of the dialect and the nuances to interpret the author’s words as closely as possible. Social and cultural practices also influence the meaning of phrases and terms. Translation goes beyond changing a text from one language to another; it also involves retaining the cadence of the original prose.
9.
What tips and suggestions would you like to give aspiring translators?
Read work in the original language and the language you are translating to understand the work of other translators. Also, while translating, discuss with the author if that’s possible or be a part of a group so that any doubts can be cleared.
The Dreams of a Mappila Girl: A Memoir by B. M. Zuhara; translated
by Fehmida Zakeer, jointly published by Yoda-SAGE.
To buy the book, click here:
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| Author B.M Zuhara |
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