--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat…" description: "\"the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat, becomes confused in a labyrinth of paradox, or climbs a pyramid of dependent clauses and has to invent a way ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/lydia-davis-3244_clauses_the-translator-a-lonely-sort-of-acrobat_551426.png" --- # the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat, becomes confused… ![“the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat, becomes confused in a labyrinth of paradox, or climbs a pyramid of dependent clauses and has to invent a way down from it in his own language.” quote by Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/lydia-davis-3244_clauses_the-translator-a-lonely-sort-of-acrobat_551426.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/lydia-davis-3244_clauses_the-translator-a-lonely-sort-of-acrobat_551426.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/lydia-davis-3244_clauses_the-translator-a-lonely-sort-of-acrobat_551426.png) > “the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat, becomes confused in a labyrinth of paradox, or climbs a pyramid of dependent clauses and has to invent a way down from it in his own language.” [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The translator navigates complex language, likened to an acrobat in a paradoxical maze, needing creative solutions to convey meaning. **In simple terms:** Translation is a delicate, inventive act through tangled language. Key Takeaway Embrace creativity when confronting linguistic challenges. Themes translation language creativity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interpreting poetry - learning new languages - writing - editing Key Concepts linguistics literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you preserve nuance in translation? - What strategies help untangle paradoxical language? A Different Perspective Complex texts may resist direct translation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clauses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clauses/) [Climbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbs/) [Confused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confused/) [Confused Labyrinth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confused-labyrinth-4589109/) [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Labyrinth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labyrinth/) [Labyrinth Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labyrinth-paradox-4589110/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Pyramids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pyramids/) [Translation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translation/) [Translator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translator/) [Translator Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translator-lonely-4589108/) [Translators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translators/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I think the close work I do as a translator pays off in my writing - I'm always searching for multiple ways to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-think-the-close-work-i-do-as-a-translator-pays-off-in-my-writing-i/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [The translator ... Peculiar outcast, ghost in the world of literature, recreating in another form something already created, creating and not creating, writing words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/the-translator-peculiar-outcast-ghost-in-the-world-of-literature/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [A satisfactory translation is not always possible, but a good translator is never satisfied with it. It can usually be improved. (Newmark)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-newmark/a-satisfactory-translation-is-not-always-possible-but-a-good/) [Peter Newmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-newmark/) > [I have always maintained that translation is essentially the closest reading one can possibly give a text. The translator cannot ignore "lesser" words, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-rabassa/i-have-always-maintained-that-translation-is-essentially-the-closest/) [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) > [I think every translator would tell you that when they look back at a poem they have translated, they want to pencil in changes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lee-kercheval/i-think-every-translator-would-tell-you-that-when-they-look-back-at-a/) [Jesse Lee Kercheval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lee-kercheval/) > [Thomas Teal, a luminous translator of Jansson's twin talent for surface and depth, simplicity and reverberation in language, and someone who knows exactly how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/thomas-teal-a-luminous-translator-of-jansson-s-twin-talent-for/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [It's important to get a translator who will ask the questions in a sensitive and thoughtful way. Knowing the ethnicity issues, the tribal issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-menzel/it-s-important-to-get-a-translator-who-will-ask-the-questions-in-a/) [Peter Menzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-menzel/) > [It seems more than likely that the translating of poetry is going to rub off on the translator if he or she is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-padgett/it-seems-more-than-likely-that-the-translating-of-poetry-is-going-to/) [Ron Padgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-padgett/) > [Even a poor translator couldn't kill a style that moves with such narrative clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/even-a-poor-translator-couldn-t-kill-a-style-that-moves-with-such/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [A poet is the translator of the silent language of nature to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wilmot-griswold/a-poet-is-the-translator-of-the-silent-language-of-nature-to-the-world/) [Rufus Wilmot Griswold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wilmot-griswold/) > [I think that being an editor, someone who works with words, is very good training for being a translator because it trains you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-goldstein/i-think-that-being-an-editor-someone-who-works-with-words-is-very/) [Ann Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-goldstein/) > [Please, never despise the translator. He's the mailman of human civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/please-never-despise-the-translator-he-s-the-mailman-of-human/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [What is the task of the translator? I think the task depends on the book and on the translator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idra-novey/what-is-the-task-of-the-translator-i-think-the-task-depends-on-the/) [Idra Novey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idra-novey/) > [A translator is essentially a reader and we all read differently, except that a translator's reading remains in unchanging print](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-rabassa/a-translator-is-essentially-a-reader-and-we-all-read-differently/) [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) > [I think that if you are sticking to the text, essentially, you're not trying to write your own version of it. I mean, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-goldstein/i-think-that-if-you-are-sticking-to-the-text-essentially-you-re-not/) [Ann Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-goldstein/) ## More by Lydia Davis > [Heart weeps. Head tries to help heart. Head tells heart how it is, again: You will lose the ones you love. They will all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/heart-weeps-head-tries-to-help-heart-head-tells-heart-how-it-is-again/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“But on that particular day I did not even begin to feel interested in this chore, and was suddenly more deeply bored than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/but-on-that-particular-day-i-did-not-even-begin-to-feel-interested-in/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [If a translation doesn't have obvious writing problems, it may seem quite all right at first glance. 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In his uncertainty, he would thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/he-did-not-know-exactly-when-to-thank-his-hostess-after-attending-a/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“There was no confusion of our bodies. I knew which arm was his and which mine, and which leg, and which shoulder. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/there-was-no-confusion-of-our-bodies-i-knew-which-arm-was-his-and/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“So it’s not really $100 a shot because it goes on all day, from the start when you wake up and feel her body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/so-it-s-not-really-100-a-shot-because-it-goes-on-all-day-from-the/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“The people of the town, though, remained strangers: I could not realize that I must be seeing some of them over and over again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/the-people-of-the-town-though-remained-strangers-i-could-not-realize/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“He does not trust her: she will claim to be in a bad mood when she is not, and then require him to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/he-does-not-trust-her-she-will-claim-to-be-in-a-bad-mood-when-she-is/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [I would recommend, definitely, developing a 'day job' that you like - don't expect to make money writing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-would-recommend-definitely-developing-a-day-job-that-you-like-don-t/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [No one is calling me. I can’t check the answering machine because I have been here all this time. If I go out, someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/no-one-is-calling-me-i-can-t-check-the-answering-machine-because-i/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) [Explore all 135 Lydia Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) ## More Clauses quotes > [I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-would-have-had-a-clause-in-my-contract-i-would-ve-definitely-put/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [She told me that all the girls in Annezin prayed every night for the war to end and for the English to go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/she-told-me-that-all-the-girls-in-annezin-prayed-every-night-for-the/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Believe in your dreams. 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