Anyone with an English Language and Literature Degree

[JBI]

Yes, and can the study of literature really take away the pleasure of it, or does it merely add to its enjoyment? To me the common idea that studying something takes away the pleasure just doesn't fit.

Does the chef not eat better due to his knowledge of food?

I personally love studying literature, and love going to my lectures on books. One of my professors in particular shows me many great things that I completely would have missed.

On the other hand, in highschool, studying literature was rather dull. The reason? Well, the teacher quite plainly. If someone herself doesn't care about the works, and is choosing rather dry and boring poems and things to read, then how can it be fun.

Highschool literature classes simply don't compare. University ones however, are incredibly enjoyable.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes, agree, the higher the level the more interesting it gets. It is difficult not to appreciate literature much more with the addition of studying theory and criticism at university level and things of that nature.

You may be a little hard on your school teachers though, I think that the school arrangements (11-16) don't lend itself that well to the study of literature as much as at a higher level. This is certainly the case in the UK at least. Literature at this level seems more concerned with character and themes and things of a basic foundation, than looking at the more interesting concepts. Of course there is all the 'jumping through hoops' and red tape at school level too. There is so much pressure to meet targets that teachers are all but forced to ‘teach to the test’ in order to satisfy the powers that be, so unfortunately pleasure doesn’t come into it here much.

[bree]

Yes, and can the study of literature really take away the pleasure of it, or does it merely add to its enjoyment? To me the common idea that studying something takes away the pleasure just doesn't fit.

Does the chef not eat better due to his knowledge of food?

I could not agree more Neely, I love the analogy

[LitNetIsGreat]

Ha ha, thanks, (when I say "food" I am really thinking of "beer").

It is quite a common thing that people think studying something can take away from its enjoyment, I have heard this sort of thing expressed many times. The "over analysing" thing is usually thrown-up sometimes too. People get hung up on authorial intention and "reading too much into things" when the reality is of course that is almost impossible. (Yes there are times when studying itself is a nag but this is small fry.)

I doubt that anything above, The Phone Book, can be analysed down to one meaning, or a particular reading. Of course if it can be, it is not worth reading very much at all. No offence Annamariah naturally.

[bree]

I am currently studying theory and criticism. My problem is I seem to have theory overload and am now looking for so many different theories in one piece of writing. It is still enjoyable though.

[Annamariah]

You're going to have to analyze pretty deeply to translate though.

Oh, of course I have to think about the text thoroughly, but I don't have to try and see more than there is to it. I can't really explain this properly in English... The main thing why I prefer studying translation to studying literature is that translation is very ... practical and concrete, not abstract. Each text has a function and I get to analyze that function instead of just analyzing the whole text as a ... something Sorry, my English is failing me right now (though I'm not sure whether I could do any better in Finnish at this late hour...) Perhaps I'll get back to this subject later, when I'm a bit more awake

[weltanschauung]

electrical engineering \m/

[LitNetIsGreat]

Oh, of course I have to think about the text thoroughly, but I don't have to try and see more than there is to it.

In a text there is only what the reader sees, what the author intended is largely immaterial.

[Annamariah]

At school I used to hate when the teacher made us read poems and then analyse them. I'm not saying that it's completely useless doing so and I can even admit enjoying it to some extent, but there IS the aspect of over-analysing too, when the teacher always wants to hear more and more far-fetched ideas about the texts, and no matter how ridiculous things the students say, it's always "a great interpretation".

In a text there is only what the reader sees, what the author intended is largely immaterial.

As a translator-to-be I have to disagree with this one. When you translate the text, knowing what the writer wanted to say with it (or what purpose the person you're translating it for is going to use it for) is essential.

On anohter level, though, I know what you mean. One reason I don't like going into too deep analyses of books/poems/other texts in the class is that it's always very personal. Everyone sees the text a bit differently than the other, and I see no point in saying "this is what this and this means", because it's always your subjective view on the matter.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Any text that is translated is like light bouncing from two mirrors. There are two authors: the original author and the translator, there is an extra level of ambiguity for the reader. I would always prefer the translation to be as close to the intended original as possible and therefore I suppose the translator will have to try and know what the author intended as far as possible, but this knowledge is still the interpretation of the translator. The translator of a text is first and foremost a reader of the text like anyone else.

I can only begin to image the minefield that must face the translator of even the most basic text as words don’t exist in different languages or they have different social connotations etc, it is really an unforgiving task I suppose. As it seems you view things almost solely from the translator’s viewpoint, and not the readers, it seems that these are traits of a good translator who simply tries to transfer the original intention of the author however much an uphill battle this appears to me, good luck.

[librarius_qui]

Hi everyone,
I'm a new member here :oops:
I'm interested in English Literature,
I wanted to ask you this question to see if you are obliged to read literature or you love it!
Because I really love English Literature but I don't study it,,,and I wanna be better at understanding it...how can I?
And how did you become a good English Literature reader?specially if your native language is not English?

History will help you a bit. It organizes things. As long as you don't get enslaved by it.

I'm not an English Literature student, nor a native speaker ... But I think about doing somethings by love of them rather than by obligation.

Once you love E. L., you won't have problems at reading it, so, 70% of the way is done. (Or will be being done, gradually.)

Read always. Organize what you read. Understand the time when and reason(s) why the things were written.

There seems to be no secret about it ...


But, again,

who am I to say anything,
I think with myself ...


librarius

[pinkmoon]

I graduated from the university last year, after I studied English language and literature
congratulation to me

and now, I teach English at the school

[Desert Dusk]

I'm not an english lit student or studying it in colledge, I'm a medical student but I find litrature as an out let and a beatiful art. Thinking how writers can be creative, and being able to capture various human mind or emotional status is been always impressive to me. Despite there is nothing quite artistic in my studies, but I've always had my share of admiration towards art.

[Annamariah]

I can only begin to image the minefield that must face the translator of even the most basic text as words don’t exist in different languages or they have different social connotations etc, it is really an unforgiving task I suppose. As it seems you view things almost solely from the translator’s viewpoint, and not the readers, it seems that these are traits of a good translator who simply tries to transfer the original intention of the author however much an uphill battle this appears to me, good luck.

Studying translation does affect the way you look at texts in general. Even when I read only for pleasure I constantly find myself thinking about different words, phrases and structures I would use if I was translating the text. Also when I read translations, I always kind of try to see the original text behind it and why the translator made the decisions he or she made. It's the same whenever I watch television - I can't help reading the subtitles critically.

Translating texts can be "an uphill battle" as you put it, but it's exactly the sort of challenge I enjoy

[Zainy]

Hello everyone.
Just wondering if anyone holds a degree in English Language and Literature?

Z