theforgetfulsurf: i actually have a question for you
Meta Knight: ok
theforgetfulsurf: alt lit translation - how do you think that would be received?
Meta Knight: hmm...like in what sense
theforgetfulsurf: specifically, translating a seminal french novel into 'alt lit'
mostly cos i can't get away from the style i've developed even though im translating
Meta Knight: hmmm...im not sure. idk much about translation. it's weird to think about alt lit as, like, a language. what novel?
theforgetfulsurf: l'étranger/the stranger, albert camus
i think it kinda fits, like, i read it as basically about this guy who's super detached from society, isn't really feeling anything, and albert camus was super into 'absurdism' and i feel like that's a part of the lineage of 'alt lit'
Meta Knight: oh damn
ya im familiar with camus
i can see that
working
p well
maybe
theforgetfulsurf: i figured i'd give you a run-down in case
i'm really not sure and i've only translated a little bit so far
but i feel like regardless of whether it 'works' its a worthwhile endeavor
i just wanted to get the opinion of someone who's, like, 'higher up' in the community, foul as that phrase is, but like, you have a bigger view of the community that i have because... yeah idk that
Meta Knight: well for what it's worth i think it sounds cool. idk about the intersection of translation and alt lit in general, but camus seems like a great place to start...i can see him as an influence to a lit of alt lits Heros today, like Tao Lin, whether theyre conscious of his influence or not. and if anything it'll be a fun experience for u
theforgetfulsurf: i think that intersection would be interesting to explore, at least, and i feel like pushing the 'genre' (to whatever extent alt lit is a genre) is something that should continually be done, not that it isnt, but im not really pushing it personally, and the influence is def there - i wondered about translating his essay on absurdism instead particularly as there are no really lengthy looks at alt lit im aware of - and i mean my french could use the practice. that said, if i translate too much french like that i will probably fail my a level but i guess this is a place to use #tinlad
woah essay
Meta Knight: lol
yeah i was thinking about the myth of sisyphus too
actually that and the stranger are like two of my favs so it seems kind of serependitious to talk about this lol
theforgetfulsurf: agh pressure