/lit/ - Literature

>>16110550
no, i only read the translators notes in case they use some weird jargon in the text that cant accurately be translated to english

It's not always important but it is sometimes useful. I like to read the translator's preface so I can get an idea of how they are going to approach their task

>>16110550
yo i cant believe some people have those gums dude

>200 page book
>50 page introduction

>>16110550
Not always necessary but I almost always always read the translator’s preface, especially with very old literature. They are a fortiori intimately acquainted with the text, and typically also with its current academic understanding(s), so you often can acquire a useful perspective or two before diving into the text proper.

>>16110550
They can be very interesting, they can also spoil the material completely

>>16110550
If it wasn't written by the author himself or the translator, don't read it (or read it afterwards).

>>16110550
I like reading the information about the author since i find the context in which the book was written to be relevant. I don't read the introduction though , sometimes i do but after i've read the book and formed my own opinion

>>16110550
I read the parts that are relevant to my interests. I gladly skip 10 autistic pages detailing how the translator picked word x over y.

>400 page book
>250 page introduction

>>16110605
yeah he's right, i just skip them completely

>>16110550
My supervisor told me to skip the preface to the PoS

>>16110550
It can be extremely important, yes.

>>16110550
>here’s what you should think about the work you’re about to read
Yeah nah

>>16110550
I have learned to read the introduction after finishing the book. Sometimes I ignore the introduction or don't look into it deeply enough and skim it so I can start the page. When the book had ended I take time to read the intro and really understand it. It's like a nice refresher after I've just finished the book.
What might be a better idea is to read the intro and then read it again once it's finished, but that's up to you.

>>16111479
holy shit, that translator literally wrote his own fucking book, didn't they.

>>16110550
Someone explain what this means