Seidensticker -Alex

Seidensticker writes that "the process of translation is the constant repetition of choices". He then gives an example with the translation of Hamlet in Japanese and how the Japanese translation disturbs the rhythm of the original by having twice as many syllables. This raises the question of what do you prioritize: rhythm and flow or "proper names" and accuracy, and this question is especially prudent in translating between languages as different as English and Japanese, where not only the grammar and syntax are different, but also the culture behind these languages and how it finds its way into the words and expressions. 

For example, Japanese is known to be quite tactful -- people rarely say things directly and explicitly. Therefore, in Japanese, changing the subject after someone says "oh well, don't you have such a nice watch" is completely normal -- a Japanese reader will understand the what the speaker really meant (and the joke perhaps). However, an English reader might be startled by the sudden change of subject and assume that the sentence was just a compliment; they were probably expecting an "oh thank you (blah blah blah)" or something, and be confused when it didn't happen. How would a translator approach this?

For me, I would prioritize flow over accuracy. In this case, it would mean changing the dialogue completely to translate its effect over to English. I would swap the dialogue entirely with something along the lines of "that's great, but I don't give a crap about what you're saying" -- nothing to do with a watch, but everything to do with "shut up". This will also make the sudden change of subject (and probably atmosphere) understandable, thereby preserving the flow of the scene. To quote Jay Rubin again, "you're not trying to translate the original, but to recreate the story."