What’s in a name?

The first job was to come up with a name: no easy task indeed. A way to describe myself clearly that would not hinder my chances of getting a job. Was I ‘the curious translator’? I suppose I was, but then so were many other people. I was also amused, obsessed, vigilant, inquisitive, pedantic, eager, considerate, intrigued, bold, distracted, infatuated…

Pernickety felt about right, but it left out the awe I feel when I come across a beautiful piece of writing (and again with a beautiful translation) and the avid curiosity about the meaning of words. And then scribe is a nice sounding word which lends itself to images of great concentration and diligence, but it also suggests the art of making copies, which is not really an apt description of my intentions.

But while translation is not merely reproducing a text, there is a ghostly quality about the craft: it should not attract attention to its own form. The phantom scribbler? The two words aren’t very compatible with each other and don’t roll off the tongue like thepernicketyscribe. It sounds a little more like a very studious Marvel character.

Finally, to borrow a notion from Emily Dickinson, who sent warm wishes to a friend hoping that “your rambles have been sweet, and your reveries spacious,” I thought that the spacious reverie might be a good title for the type of blog I was thinking of.

     I hope your rambles have been sweet, and your reveries spacious,”     – Emily Dickinson