Tag Archives: Spanish-English

Azurea20: ‘Permit Me a Space Wherein to Hang My Voice’

Posted on September 22, 2025 by JMN

“I personally learned my own craft of writing poetry through translating poetry… I think one way to deepen the appreciation of poetry is to approach it through translation.” (Arthur Sze, new U.S. poet laureate) “Señora de las Cosas Errantes” by … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, Spanish-English, translation | Leave a comment

The Future Walks on Baby Feet

Posted on May 16, 2025 by JMN

Here’s my English reading of “Contar Cuentos” (Telling Stories), a poem written in Spanish by Azurea20 published at LA BANCARROTA DEL CIRCO on April 27, 2025. TELLING STORIESMy memory invents you,strips you nakedtells itself stories,closes your eyes,obliterates your mouth,discovers verbs … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, Spanish-English, translation | 4 Comments

‘Cuerpo,’ from La Bancarrota del Circo

Posted on April 9, 2025 by JMN

I asked azurea20 if I could post an English reading of her poem “Cuerpo” on EthicalDative, and she said yes. Below is the original Spanish text of her lyric published on her website, La Bancarrota del Circo, followed by my … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, reading, Spanish-English, translation | Leave a comment

Thinking About Translation While Reading the Quran

Posted on November 13, 2024 by JMN

Nabokov and Borges differed over how translation should be done, the former favoring literalness (“The clumsiest literal translation is a thousand times more useful than the prettiest paraphrase”), the latter transformation (“Translation is… a more advanced stage of writing”). I … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged Arabic-English, grammar, language, Spanish-English, translation | 7 Comments

Infinite Scroll on the Scripture Front

Posted on October 22, 2024 by JMN

The cross-referencing contained in scripture reminds me of the infinite scrolling feature that afflicts social media. In the scriptures it doesn’t have pernicious intent, but can lead, nevertheless, to addictive chasing after the satisfaction of curiosity if one isn’t careful. … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology, Commentary | Tagged Arabic-English, grammar, language, Spanish-English, syntax, translation | Leave a comment

‘Have a Nice Day’ in Plain Language

Posted on February 10, 2024 by JMN

Javier Sánchez knows how to open up a can of tough love and share it with his reader. What he wrote the other day in Las palabras de Javier follows, along with my English translation (kindly authorized by Javier). Can … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged language, Spanish-English, translation | 1 Comment

‘Cuando Me Vaya’ by Javier Sánchez

Posted on November 20, 2023 by JMN

The Spanish text I translate to English here is from Las palabras de Javier (November 16, 2023). In reading poetry of the day I brace for being left in the lurch, for being denied more than a cerebral engagement, at … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, Spanish-English, translation, writing | 4 Comments

Bradley Trumpfheller: ‘It Is Mica and Night Honey’

Posted on July 14, 2023 by JMN

There are poems whose gist I imperfectly apprehend. Putting such a poem into an acquired language can be a form of beaconing for bounce-back from latent referents. It’s therapy for bafflement. The drill induces closer confrontation with the text, on … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, reading, Spanish-English, translation | 1 Comment

The Precedent: El Precedente

Posted on October 28, 2022 by JMN

Traducción:“Don’t talk to me that way!”Translation:“¡No me hables así!” Traducción:I’m the Precedent of the Unighted Steaks!”Translation:¡Soy Precedente de los Bistecs Anochecidos!” Traducción:Don’t EVER talk to the Precedent that way!”Translation:¡No le hables NUNCA al Precedente de esa manera!” (Filtered from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged English-Spanish, language, Spanish-English, translation | Leave a comment

“The Psicologo” from Las Palabras de Javier

Posted on July 3, 2022 by JMN

“The Psicologo” by Javier Sánchez https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/59634996/posts/4099865441 I share a post by Javier Sánchez for the enjoyment of a real friend, and imaginary ones, who, along with me, study Spanish. Javier takes wicked potshots at moving targets in his zany, deadpan, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology, Quotations | Tagged blogging, humor, language, satire, Spanish-English, style, translation, writing | 2 Comments