Monday, October 8, 2007





This incarnation of the word about is read from an excerpt of Samuel Beckett's play Krapp's Last Tape -- (about is word # 209 from this play). This video clip (like all other clips) was used in my Dear coUntess to translate the word "about" from a letter to Lord Kelvin ("about" is word # 76 in that letter) which was in turn embedded in the translated text of The Opinions & Exploits of Dr. Faustroll, Pataphysician. Here, then, a case of word-for-word translation. However, where no exact lexical replica of a word in the letter to Lord Kelvin could be found, I have fastidiously enacted a translation from the material listed below (via a wide variety of translational tactics).

There are 12 readings from continuous excerpts selected by the translator. Each reading was assigned a specific color (there are 6 colors) & tone (there are 12 tones). As a demonstration, the video above includes the tones for both excerpts assigned to the color red: Samuel Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape & R.D. Laing's Knots. In the final video text, there are:




The original context of the above about is:
      With all this darkness round me I feel less alone. In a way. I love to get up and move about in it, then back here to . . .   . . . me. . . Krapp.  


The original letter to Lord Kelvin reads:

      For we are both of the opinion that, if one can measure what one is talking about and express it in numbers, which constitute the sole reality, then one has some knowledge of one's subject.

The translated version includes both streaming video & facing hypertext -- each clip / word of which links back to its source:
     
for we are both of the opinion that, If one can Measure What one is talking about & express it in numbers, which constitutes the soul reality, Then one has Some command of one's object.

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