Lydia Davis Quotes & Sayings

“Often, the idea that there can be a wide range of translations of one text doesn't occur to people - or that a translation could be bad, very bad, and unfaithful to the original.”

“I started writing the one-sentence stories when I was translating 'Swann's Way.' There were two reasons. I had almost no time to do my own writing, but didn't want to stop. And it was a reaction to Proust's very long sentences.”

“My stories are sometimes closer to poems or meditations, but often there is at least a little narrative in them.”

“I never dream in French, but certain French words seem better or more fun than English words - like 'pois chiches' for chick peas!”

“Collections aren't really planned. I just keep writing short pieces until I have enough for a collection.”

“I find teaching - I like it, but I find just walking into the classroom and facing the students very difficult.”

“I do see an interest in writing for Twitter. While publishers still do love the novel and people do still like to sink into one, the very quick form is appealing because of the pace of life.”

“Even though I believe a superlative translation can achieve timelessness, that doesn't mean I think other translators shouldn't attempt other versions. The more the better, in the end.”

“If a translation doesn't have obvious writing problems, it may seem quite all right at first glance. We readers, after all, quickly adapt to the style of a translator, stop noticing it, and get caught up in the story.”

“If I was writing about an academic or a more difficult person, I would use the Latinate vocabulary more, but I do think Anglo-saxon is the language of emotion.”