Re: Bastet Relay Translation Web Finally Up!!

En réponse à bjm10@CORNELL.EDU:

> I've got a question, for to ask before the relay gets started, since
> I've
> never done this and would like to participate.  What would one use for
> the
> "source text" on one's step?  Let's say that that the "Tandil
> Venddebron
> Bastetid" is used as the start on the chain.  It exists as parallel
> texts,
> the original and an English translation.  If one were to translate
> from
> the English translation, then one would not actually be translating
> the
> conlang but instead from English.  Indeed, at each step one would not
> translate from the conlang but from an English translation (indeed
> dare
> one say paraphrase) of the conlang.  Thus, should one instead present
> a
> parsed interlinear with appropriate grammatical and structural notes
> instead of a translation for use on the next step?  Or is this
> supposed
> to be a conlang to english to conlang to english to conlang to english
> to
> conlang to english project?  I've never been involved in a relay, so I
> don't know how they work?
>
Well, I've been involved in two relays out of three (sorry, but for the next one
I won't participate. I will surely be writing my report when it's on :(( ), so I
know quite well how it works.

Indeed, the principal interest of the relay is that there's never an English
translation passed as relay. The first text is written in a conlang, and is sent
to the next participant, along with a lexicon, little grammar and syntax
explanations and/or a parsed interlinear. The participant translates the text in
his conlang, and sends this text, to the next participant, also with the same
needed notes, but without any text translation. It goes on until the last
participant who, when finished, sends his text back to the person who produced
the original one, who then translates that text again. The point of it is that
we can compare the two texts and see the drift that happened from the original
text to the last one after a score of translations. When all this is done
(privately and outside of the conlang list), all the texts, with translations
this time, are sent to the conlang list so that everyone can see the result,
while the originator of the relay puts up a webpage for the whole relay.

Isn't it a nice game? Frankly I think that's one of the most wonderful ideas
I've seen in Conlang-l. Who originated it at the first time? I don't remember.

Christophe.

http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr

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