Lost in translation

Today I had my first class at the university: Traduction. Right before the class, I had a meeting with the other Bucknell students, and I remarked to my Bucknell professor that I was nervous to start. He said not to worry, that I was the only Anglophone. Seeing that this didn't reassure me (quite the opposite), he said I would be a veritable dictionary in that class.

Well, class took off on a quick start as we began to learn some principles and methods of French-English translation. We will be alternating between "version" which is English to French and "thème," French to English. Which do you think would be harder?

For me, it is version, with which we spent most of our time today. I was comforted a little by the difficulty other students were having (because it was certainly hard for me), and I take pride in my considerate nature towards the French students' butchering of the English sentences we were asked to translate. However, in the end, the professor could get them to generate the right French translation, which often consisted of new vocabulary for me!

Each student was asked to make a translation, or at least give an idea. When my turn came around, I had to translate: "I'm going to have a quick wash." (We don't even speak like this in America.) So I said in French, "I'm an Anglophone, so this is a little hard for me." Seeing everyone's ears perk up and my struggling French, I offered, "Je vais me baigner vite" (I'm going to bathe quickly.) Well, it turns out, the better translation is "Je vais fair un brin de toilette." Interesting. Hmm.

I am excited for the rest of this class though. It's a good challenge, and I know I'll keep learning a lot of new vocab. It's also a very practical pursuit, translation. Today I visited the cathedral and had to read the signs in the original French because the meaning of the English was impossible to decipher.

I introduced myself to the professor afterwords, and although he began speaking English, with his posh southern English accent, I insisted on speaking French. We discussed where I came from, my studies this semester, and his previous travel in California.

So things are a little scary still, but I think it'll be ok. I just need to learn not to beat myself up or feel inferior when I struggle a little at something new.
À bientôt!

P.S. No joke, we had to translate this sentence today: "The Wetbacks swam across the Rio Grande." I felt slimy. "Les clandestins méxicains ont traversé le Rio Grande en nage."