Five questions

[dhampyresa]

From tamsin.

What's your most re-read book?

Hard to say. I don't do a lot of rereading. I barely do any reading these days.

I think probably my collected edition of the first five comics of Joann Sfar's Le Chat du Rabbin (The Rabbi's Cat). It's a slice of life, magical realism comic set in 1930s Algers (with occasional trips to other places), where a rabbi's cat gains the power of speech. It's absolutely DELIGHTFUL. It's very... cozy? Kind? Like a hug in comic form? Not sure how to put it, but I love it. I find it extremely grounding and so tend to reread all or part of it when in certain uneasy emotional states.


If you could change one aspect in a canon you love what would it be?

GIVE ME A SCARLET WITCH MOVIE MCU YOU COWARDS


Have you ever been to Germany or Austria? If yes how did you like it?

I have taken some brief school trips to Germany, but have never been to Austria. I enjoyed Köln a lot! I do not remember with any certainty what other cities we went to, oops. I would very much enjoy going back to Köln, see the Christmas market and do the cathedral again. Also I had this AMAZING hot chocolate made from white chocolate, but good luck finding that place again, hahaha


Do you find that the language you read a poem in influences what you think of it and how it affects you?

As much as possible, I read things in their language of origin and no other, so I don't really feel qualified to answer this.

Although, funnily enough, when listening to the sung version of Anjela Duval's Karantez Vro (a poem in Breton, English translation by yours truly) the parts that most resonated with me, even without knowing what they meant are the same ones that resonate with me most, knowing the meaning. (To wit: "Ar morioù bras, ar Broioù pell"/"deep seas and faraway lands", "Maezioù ken kaer va Breizh-Izel!"/"The beautiful countrysides of my Lower Brittany." and "Va Bro, va Yezh ha va Frankiz!"/"My country, my language and my freedom.")


What's one aspect of politics in France that you like/dislike?

BOY DO I DISLIKE THE RAMPANT FASCISM

I also vastly dislike the, idk what to call it, Saviour narrative? It's like we're always waiting for the next de Gaulle, the next Jeanne d'Arc to show up and save us.

Comments

[china_shop]

Ooh, now you're learning Korean again, maybe I should send you the Korean translation I did of your English translation of that Anjela Duval poem. (It's like a game a telephone! ;-)

[dhampyresa]

Breton to French to English to Korean!

And I would love it if you did, thank you.

[china_shop]

나라를 위한 사랑
By Anjela Duval

1.
내 마음의 구석에 어떤 흉터는 있다.
젊었을때부터 있었다
왜냐하면, 어떡해, 내가 사랑한 사람은
내가 사랑하는 걸 안 사랑했다.
그는 도시, 깊은 바다, 그리고 멀리 떨어져 있는 땅 밖에
안 좋아했다
그리고 난 시골만 좋아했는데
우리 로워 브리타니의 아름다운 시골.

2.
내가 두 사랑들 중에서 선택해 버려야 했는데
나라를 위한 사랑이나 한 남자를 위한 사랑.
내가 우리 나라에게 내 생활을 드려 놓았는데
내 연인을 놓아 버렸다.
그때부터 한번도 보지 않았다
한번도 소식을 듣지 않았다 –
흉터가 내 마음에 남게 됐다.
그 사람은 내가 사랑해 놓는 걸 안 사랑했다.

3.
우리 하나 하나 자기 운명을 따라야 한다
그게 이 세상엔 법이다.
그래, 내 마음이 다치게 돼 놓았지만
그 사람은 내가 사랑해 놓는 걸 안 사랑했다.
그 사람에게, 재산과 영광
나에게, 빈곤과 경멸,
그러나 난 무슨 다른 보물을 갖기를 위해서 바꾸지는 않을 거,
우리 나라, 우리나라 말과, 내 자유를.

(Keeping in mind I'm still a beginner, and it may be full of terrible mistakes. /disclaim, disclaim)

[dhampyresa]

This is so cool! *o*

THANK YOU SO MUCH

[china_shop]

Yay!!

[corvidology]

It's interesting to me that the US also has that "saviour narrative."

[dhampyresa]

Imma blame Lafayette.

[tamsin]

Thanks for answering! I've never been to Köln though I do want to go there someday.

The Rabbi's Cat is a great book, I enjoyed it a lot.

[dhampyresa]

You're welcome! I hope you get to go, it's pretty cool. Whereabouts do you live?

Me too! I keep meaning to check out the most recent volumes at the library and forgetting, though.

[tamsin]

I live in Austria, in Tyrol near Innsbruck. A beautiful place if I may say so myself.

[dhampyresa]

It looks beautiful in pictures! I hope to visit one day.

[tamsin]

It's a great place for skiing or hiking.

Where in France do you live?

[dhampyresa]

I live in Paris.