Wednesday, November 10, 2010

American Poetry book published in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ambassador Jonathon Addleton is giving address to the audience, including poets, translator and readers.











Translator B Magsarjav is giving interview to public TVs.











Translator D Byambaa is giving speech about his translation Tamerlane by Allan Po.















Today,

We celebrated the publication of the first volume of Anthology of American Poetry. The event was held at the American Cultural Center. Organized by USA Embassy and Academy of Culture and Poetry. Here is presenting the publisher's foreword of the book.

Mongolian poet G Mend-Ooyo, editor of this book, mentioned
that Mongolian readers deep gratitude to Ex-Ambassador Mark Minton, Public Affairs Officer Marissa Maurer , Yo Otgon and all the US Embassy employees who helped us in all levels of the publication process.

written by Mugi

PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD


The first translation into Mongolian of American literature in the modern era was made in 1930 by the founder of our own modern literature, D. Natsagdorj. He translated, albeit from an initial German translation, Edgar Allen Poe’s story, “The Gold Bug.”
Although the history of American literature in Mongolia has been relatively brief, its impact has been great. Starting in the 1960s, my teacher, the famous poet and translator Dorjiin Gombojav, translated Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” from the Russian as a kind of reference manual for Mongolian poets. At the same time, G. Luvsantseren translated Robert Frost’s poem, “Birches”. In respect to Native American culture and history, D. Sandagdorj made a translation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s lyric poem “Song of Hiawatha,” which was also published during the 1960s. This was the period during which the flowers of American literature began to grow in Mongolian soil even as these translations were made not from the original English language, but Russian.
However, when the free spirit of American poetry encountered the closed attitudes of Mongolian socialist ideology, a period of stagnation set in as precious few translations were made from the original English. With the openness of the 1990s, however, there was an enthusiasm for studying English which led to an increasing number of original translations of American literature.
Many years have passed since the idea of putting together a large anthology to illustrate the contemporary influence of American literature. Three years ago, I discussed my idea with Mark Minton, US Ambassador to Mongolia and poet, and it was this discussion which opened the door to our book. However, to select and translate from the various styles and forms of American poetry through the ages was no small task.
We worked with many of our American friends in order to properly select the works to be translated only to realize that when our work was finished, not everything was ready. Only after we had negotiated translation rights, could the work be published. The US Embassy schooled us in the importance of protecting the intellectual rights of the poets presented here which has aided Mongolia in the development of our own system of copyright laws.
With the exception of “Song of Myself,” by the great voice of American democracy and freedom, Walt Whitman, this is the first time that these poems have been translated into Mongolian from the original English. This work reflects the great effort of G. Dombojav, B. Maksarjav, D. Byambaa, Sh. Tsog and M. Shagdarsüren as well as our young transltors Ts. Oyuundari, S. Sumiya, O. Mönhnaran, S. Soyolbold and G. Delgermaa.
Support for this book has come from the US State Department and the US Embassy in Mongolia. It is clear that the economic and political relations between our two countries have expanded through this cultural, literary and intellectual venture. I am deeply grateful to Ambassador Mark Minton, to the poet David Lehman, to Marissa Maurer of the US Embassy, and to Yo Otgon, who have valiantly labored to create this book of American poetry.
Amerikiin Yaruu Nairag then, American Poetry, this book of parallel texts, is one way in which young people might improve their English, but it is also an avenue to satisfy those interested in savoring literary translation. Moreover, it offers us the chance to refine the infelicities of translation and we await future works of translation from our readers after they have investigated, discussed and absorbed the intricacies of American literature.
There are many sides to poetic translation. Translators have individual approaches to the craft. Some are strict with meter and language while others express what has been absorbed into their hearts. Nonetheless, I trust that the world of American poetry will welcome this eighth volume in the Mongolian Academy of Poetry and Culture’s series, World Poetry.

May goodness spread and may the virtue of books increase!

G Mend-Ooyo
15 June 2010

АМЕРИКИЙН ЯРУУ НАЙРАГ МОНГОЛД



“Дэлхийн Шилдэг яруу найраг” цувралыг 2005 оноос Соёл Яруу Найргийн Академиас яруу найрагт дуртай уншигчдадаа зориулсан эрхлэн гаргаж эхэлсэн билээ. Уг цувралаар “Эртний сайхан – Монголын шилдэг яруу найраг”, “Оросын яруу найраг”, “Японы яруу найраг”, “Францын яруу найраг”, “Төв Азийн яруу найраг”, “Испани хэлт яруу найраг”, “Энэтхэгийн яруу найраг”, номуудыг эрхлэн гаргаад байгаа бөгөөд “Америкийн яруу найраг” ном нь уг цувралын 8-р боть болж байгаа юм.
“Америкийн яруу найраг” номыг Америкийн Төрийн Департмент, АНУ-аас Монгол Улсад суугаа Элчин Сайдын Яамнаас ивээн тэтгэж, Соёл Яруу Найргийн Академиас эрхлэн монгол, англи хоёр хэлээр хамт хэвлэжээ.
Уг антологид Уолт Уитмен, Эдгар Аллан По, Эмили Дикинсон, Хэнри Уодсуорт Лонгфелло , Стипин Крэйн, Роберт Фрост, Жэймис Лэнгстон Хьюс, Аллин Гинзберг, Кеннит Кох, Билли Коллинз, Дэвид Лиймэн, Шэрмин Алексий нарын зэрэг Америкийн үе үеийн алдартай яруу найрагчдын шүлэг дуулалыг багтаасан бөгөөд манай нэрт орчуулагч Доржийн Гомбожавын алдарт орчуулга Уолт Уитмений “Энэ биеэ дуулна” найраглал болон Б.Магсаржав, Д.Бямбаа, Ш.Цог, М.Шагдарсүрэн нар болон Ц.Оюундарь, С.Сумъяа, О.Мөнхнаран, С.Соёлболд, Г.Дэлгэрмаа нарын залуу орчуулагчидын дандаа шинэ орчуулгын шинэ бүтээлүүд багтсанаараа онцлогтой. Энэхүү ном нь Америкийн эрт эдүгээгийн яруу найргийн үнэт зүйлс, чиг хандлага, ур чадварын олон талыг илэрхийлж байгаагаараа онцлог бөгөөд шүлгүүдийг орчуулж хэвлэх эрхийг Америкийн оюуны өмчийн хууль журмын дагуу авсан байна.
Сонирхуулахад Америкийн уран зохиолоос эдүгээ цаг үед хамгийн анх шинэ үеийн уран зохиолыг үндэслэгч Д.Нацагдорж герман хэлнээс 1930-аад онд орчуулсан юм. Тэр бол Эдгар Аллан Погийн “Алтан цох” хэмээх романтик өгүүллэг юм байна.