“We are told that in translation there is no such thing as equivalence. Many times the translator reaches a fork in the translating road where they must make a choice in the interpretation of a word. And each time they make one of these choices, they are taken further from the truth. But what we aren’t told is that this isn’t a shortcoming of translation; it’s a shortcoming of language itself. As soon as we try to put reality into words, we limit it. Words are not reality, they are the cause of reality, and thus reality is always more. Writers aren't alchemists who transmute words into the aurous essence of the human experience. No, they are glassmakers. They create a work of art that enables us to see inside to help us understand. And if they are really good, we can see our own reflections staring back at us.”

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About Kamand Kojouri

Kamand Kojouri is an Iranian-American writer and educator. She is known for her thoughtful essays on cultural identity, migration, and the intersections of personal and political experience. Her work often explores the complexities of belonging between worlds.

More from Kamand Kojouri (357 quotes) →
"We are told that in translation there is no such thing as equivalence…" — Kamand Kojouri | Daily Quotes