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Many people do not know that Jesus did not speak Latin or English or Hebrew; he spoke Aramaic. But nobody knows that language.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o

If a novel is written in a certain language with certain characters from a particular community and the story is very good or illuminating, then that work is translated into the language of another community.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Certain Character Community Good Illuminating Language Novel Particularly Story Written
And even in terms of justice, law codes, the legal system. A person who does not know English in Africa is excluded from that system because he can only operate through acts of translation.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Act Cide English Known Legal Operate Person System Trasnlotyion
If poverty was to be sold three cents today, i can’t buy it.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Buy Cent Poverty Sold Three Today
So what I thought was just an African problem or issue is actually a global phenomenon about relationships of power between languages and cultures.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Global Language Power Problem
There is no way we can survive as a nation in the world without finding unity.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Find Nation Nom Way Survive Unity World
Then they begin to see through their language that the problems described there are the same as the problems they are having. They can identify with characters from another language group.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Began Character Describe Group Language Problem
The Pan-Africanism that envisaged the ideal of wholeness was gradually cut down to the size of a continent, then a nation, a region, an ethnos, a clan, and even a village in some instances But Pan-Africanism has not outlived its mission.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Continent Country Down Envisaged Gradually Ideal Nation Pan Problem Region Similar Size Wholeness
Through the act of translation we break out of linguistic confinement and reach many other communities.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Act Break Community Confinement Linguistic Many Other Out Raech Translate
Life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Amidst Beautiful Blood Life Pain Poverty Struggle
Why did Africa let Europe cart away millions of Africa’s souls from the continent to the four corners of the wind?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Away Continent Corner Country Million Soul Wind
Our lives are a battlefield on which is fought a continuous war between the forces that are pledged to confirm our humanity and those determined to dismantle it.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Butterfield Confirm Continuous Determine Force Fought Live Pledge
How could Europe lord it over a continent ten times its size? Why does needy Africa continue to let its wealth meet the needs of those outside its borders and then follow behind with hands outstretched for a loan of the very wealth it let go?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Birder Continent Country Hand Need Outside Outstretched Over Size Time Wealth
What is translated from English and into English – and in what quantities – is a question of power.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

English Into Power Quantity Question Translate
I think a repressive regime always fears people who are awakened – particularly ordinary people. If they are awakened, I think governments all over the world feel uncomfortable about that; they want to be in control.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Always Awake Control Ordinary Particularly People Repressive Think Uncomfortable
In terms of language, English is very dominant vis-Ã-vis African language. That in itself is a power relationship – between languages and communities – because the English language is a determinant of the ladder to achievement.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Dominant English Gradually Language Term
We think of politics in terms of power and who has the power. Politics is the end to which that power is put.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

End Politic Power Put Term Think

Many people do not know that Jesus did not speak Latin or English or Hebrew; he spoke Aramaic. But nobody knows that language.

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Many people do not know that Jesus did not speak Latin or English or Hebrew; he spoke Aramaic. But nobody knows that language.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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