This blog is written as part of a task assigned by Prof. Dilip Barad, Department of English (MKBU). This blog focuses on translation studies. The task involves translating four poems using AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini and comparing the AI-generated translations. The evaluation is based on sound, metre, syntax, tone, grammar, and cultural meanings. Challenges faced during the process and their resolutions are also discussed.
Translation by ChatGPT
Hindi Translation
English Translation
Translation by Gemini
Hindi Translation
मैं तुमसे पहली सी मोहब्बत मत माँगो
मैंने समझा था कि तू है तो जग जगमगाता तेरा ग़म है तो ग़म-ए-दुनिया का क्या माना
तेरी सूरत से है आलम में बहारों को ठहराव तेरी आँखों के सिवा दुनिया में क्या रखा
तू मिल जाए तो किस्मत नगों हो जाए ऐसा नहीं था मैंने बस यही चाहा था
दुनिया में मोहब्बत के सिवा और भी ग़म हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा और भी राहतें
लाखों सदियों के अंधेरे जादू के घेरे रेशम और अटलस में बने हुए बदन
गली-गली बिकते हुए, धूल में लथपथ खून से लथपथ, बीमारी के भट्टे से निकले
पीप बहती हुई, सड़ते हुए घावों से नज़र इधर भी लौट जाती है, क्या किया जाए
अभी भी तेरा चेहरा मन को मोह लेता है पर क्या किया जाए, ये दुनिया है
मोहब्बत के सिवा और भी ग़म हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा और भी राहतें मैं तुमसे पहली सी मोहब्बत मत माँगो
English Translation
Don't Ask Me for Love Like It Used to Be
I thought you were the light that lit up the world,
Your sorrow was the world’s, what was there to be hurled?
Your beauty kept spring eternal in this land,
Beyond your eyes, what was there to understand?
To have you was to shatter fate’s decree,
I never meant to ask, just hoped it’d be.
There’s more pain in the world than just loving you,
More comforts than the solace of being with you.
For centuries, dark spells have been brewed,
In silk and satin, bodies have been imbued.
Sold in streets, their spirits subdued, Covered in dust,
bathed in blood they’re viewed.
Emerging from disease-ridden, heated crucibles,
Pus oozes from their festering buboes.
Even now, your beauty still subdues,
But what’s the use, this world is cruel.
There’s more pain in the world than just loving you,
More comforts than the solace of being with you.
When examining the translations from ChatGPT and Gemini, several key differences emerge in their approaches to syntax, metre, and cultural elements. ChatGPT maintains more formal, complex sentence structures that closely mirror the Urdu original, employing subordinate clauses and preserving the traditional flow of the ghazal. In contrast, Gemini adopts a more contemporary approach with simpler, direct structures that speak to modern English readers.
Regarding metre and sound, the original Urdu poem follows a classical ghazal metre, which presents a significant challenge for English translation. ChatGPT attempts to maintain rhythmic elements through longer lines and internal rhymes, preserving some of the musical quality of the original. Gemini, however, takes a more liberal approach, adopting a contemporary free verse style with shorter lines and occasional rhyming couplets that feel more natural in modern English.
The handling of lexicon and cultural connotations reveals distinct translation philosophies. ChatGPT preserves Persian-Urdu vocabulary and formal register, retaining terms like "visage" and "strife" that echo the original's elevated literary tone. Cultural markers and traditional metaphors remain more intact in ChatGPT's version. Gemini, conversely, modernizes vocabulary and domesticates cultural references, making them more accessible to contemporary English readers but potentially losing some of the original's cultural richness.
Several elements proved particularly challenging to translate. The Persian-Urdu compound constructions, such as "gham-e-dahr," required different resolution strategies. ChatGPT maintained these as complex concepts ("worldly strife"), while Gemini simplified them for modern comprehension ("world's"). Classical Urdu metaphors and culturally specific terms like "darkhshan" (radiant), "wasł" (union), and "tilism" (spell/enchantment) posed similar challenges, with ChatGPT opting for archaic English equivalents and Gemini choosing modern approximations.
When considering theoretical frameworks, both translations exemplify different aspects of translation theory. Through Jakobson's lens, ChatGPT follows formal equivalence more closely, while Gemini prioritizes dynamic equivalence. Catford's concept of translation shifts is evident in both versions, though more pronounced in Gemini's modern interpretation. Devy's ideas about cultural translation are particularly relevant, as ChatGPT maintains more cultural markers while Gemini domesticates for the target culture. Ramanujan's translation types are also applicable, with ChatGPT taking a more literal approach and Gemini adopting a transcreative stance.
The effectiveness of each translation ultimately depends on its intended purpose and audience. ChatGPT's version would better serve academic study or readers interested in the original's cultural and poetic nuances, while Gemini's translation might better reach contemporary readers seeking emotional resonance and immediate comprehension. Both translations demonstrate the complex balancing act between maintaining fidelity to the original and creating accessible, meaningful poetry in the target language.
The creative liberties taken by both AI tools reflect different priorities: ChatGPT adds poetic embellishments that attempt to capture the original's literary qualities, while Gemini makes bold choices to ensure contemporary relevance and emotional impact. These different approaches highlight the eternal tension in poetry translation between preserving form and conveying meaning.
Hindi Translation
घूमता और घूमता चौड़े चक्र में,
बाज़ सुन नहीं पाता अब अपने बाज़बान को;
सबकुछ बिखर रहा है; केंद्र अब टिक नहीं सकता,
सिर्फ अराजकता का सैलाब दुनिया पर छूट पड़ा है,
खून-लाल ज्वार उफन रहा है, और हर जगह
मासूमियत की रस्म डूब रही है;
सबसे अच्छे लोग पूरी तरह से आत्मविश्वास खो बैठे हैं,
और सबसे बुरे
भरे हुए हैं तीव्र उत्तेजना से।
निश्चित रूप से कोई रहस्योद्घाटन समीप है;
निश्चित रूप से दूसरा आगमन समीप है।
दूसरा आगमन! मुश्किल से ये शब्द निकले ही थे
कि आत्मा की दुनिया से
एक विशाल छवि मेरी दृष्टि को विचलित करती है:
रेगिस्तान की रेत के बीच कहीं
एक आकृति, शेर का शरीर और मनुष्य का सिर,
एक नज़रों से शून्य और निर्मम जैसे सूरज,
धीमी जांघों से चल रही है, और उसके चारों ओर
रेगिस्तान के नाराज पक्षियों की छायाएं मचल रही हैं।
अंधेरा फिर गिरता है; लेकिन अब मैं जानता हूं
कि बीस सदी का पत्थर जैसा नींद
एक झूलते पालने से बुरे सपने में बदल गई,
और वह कौन सा खुरदरा जानवर, जिसका समय अब आ गया है,
बेथलेहम की ओर झुकता है जन्म लेने के लिए?
Gujarati Translation
બીજું આવગમન
ઘૂમતું અને ઘૂમતું પહોળા ચક્રમાં,
બાજ હવે પોતાના બાજબાનને સાંભળી શકતો નથી;
બધું વિખેરાઈ રહ્યું છે; કેન્દ્ર હવે ટકી શકતું નથી,
માત્ર અનાર્કીનું પ્રવાહ જગતમાં છૂટી રહ્યું છે,
લોહી-લાલ જ્વાર છૂટી રહ્યું છે, અને દરેક જગ્યાએ
માસૂમિયતની વિધિ ડૂબી રહી છે;
સર્વશ્રેષ્ઠ લોકો સંપૂર્ણ નિશ્ચય ગુમાવી બેઠા છે,
અને સૌથી ખરાબ
ગહન તીવ્રતા થી ભરાયેલા છે।
ખાત્રી છે કે કોઈ પ્રગટાવ નજીક છે;
ખાત્રી છે કે બીજું આવગમન નજીક છે।
બીજું આવગમન! અઘરી રીતે આ શબ્દો બહાર નીકળે છે
કે આત્માની દુનિયાથી
એક વિશાળ છબી મારી દ્રષ્ટિને ખલેલ પહોંચાડે છે:
કાંઈક મરુસ્થળની રેતીમાં
સિંહના શરીર અને માનવના માથાવાળું એક આકાર,
એક શૂન્ય અને ક્રૂર નજર જેમ સૂર્ય,
ધીમી ઊરથી આગળ વધે છે, અને તેની આજુબાજુ
મરુસ્થળના કુપિત પંખીઓની છાયા ઘૂમે છે।
અંધકાર ફરીથી છવાઈ જાય છે; પરંતુ હવે મને ખબર છે
કે વીસ સદીઓની પથ્થર જેવી નિંદ્રા
એક ડોલતા પાળણામાંથી દુ:સ્વપ્ન બની ગઈ છે,
અને તે કયું ખડતરા પ્રાણી, તેનું સમય હવે આવી ગયું છે,
બેઠલેહેમ તરફ ઝૂકી રહ્યું છે જન્મ લેવા માટે?
Translation by Gemini
Hindi Translation
घूमता और घूमता, वृत्त बढ़ता जाता है
बाज़ नहीं सुन पाता शिकारी को अब टूट रहा है सब कुछ,
केंद्र खो रहा है संतुलन अराजकता छाई है
चारों ओर रक्तरंजित ज्वार उमड़ रहा है,
हर जगह मासूमियत का यज्ञ डूब रहा है
सबसे अच्छे खो चुके हैं विश्वास, जबकि बुरे जुनून से भरे हैं, तीव्रता से
निश्चित ही कोई प्रकटीकरण समीप है निश्चित ही द्वितीय
आगमन समीप है द्वितीय आगमन!
मुश्किल से ही ये शब्द निकले जब एक विशाल प्रतिमा,
विश्व आत्मा से उत्पन्न मेरी दृष्टि को भ्रमित करती है:
कहीं रेगिस्तान के रेत में एक आकृति,
सिंह का शरीर और मनुष्य का मुखड़ा सूर्य की भाँति निर्दयी
और निगाह खाली धीरे-धीरे अपनी जाँघें हिला रहा है,
जबकि उसके चारों ओर क्रोधित रेगिस्तानी पक्षियों
की छायाएँ घूम रही हैं अंधेरा फिर से छा जाता है;
पर अब मैं जानता हूँ पत्थर की नींद की बीस सदियाँ
एक डोलने वाले पालने से दुःस्वप्न में विचलित हुई थीं
और कौन सा क्रूर पशु, जिसका समय आखिरकार आ गया है
बेथलहम की ओर झुक रहा है, जन्म लेने के लिए?
Gujarati Translation
વર્તુળ વધતું જાય, ફરતું રહે છે ફરી ફરી
બાજ નથી સાંભળી શકતો બાજીગરની વાત
સર્વત્ર વિઘ્ન, કેન્દ્ર ધરાશયી થઈ રહ્યું છે
અરાજકતા છવાઈ ગઈ છે દુનિયામાં
લોહીથી રંગાયેલો જ્વાર છૂટી પડ્યો છે,
દરેક જગ્યાએ નિર્દોષતાના સંસ્કાર ડૂબી ગયા છે
શ્રેષ્ઠોમાં કોઈ વિશ્વાસ નથી, જ્યારે દુષ્ટો જુસ્સાથી ભરેલા છે, તીવ્રતાથી
નિશ્ચિત જ કોઈ પ્રકટીકરણ નજીક છે
નિશ્ચિત જ દ્વિતીય આગમન નજીક છે
દ્વિતીય આગમન! શબ્દો મુખેથી નીકળ્યા જ હતા
જ્યારે એક વિશાળ પ્રતિમા, વિશ્વઆત્મામાંથી
ઉદભવેલી મારી દ્રષ્ટિને ભ્રમિત કરે છે:
રણના રેતાળ વિસ્તારમાં ક્યાંક સિંહનું શરીર
અને માનવીનું માથું ધરાવતી આકૃતિ સૂર્યની જેમ નિર્દય અને નિર્લિપ્ત
દ્રષ્ટિ ધીમે-ધીમે પોતાની જાંઘો હલાવી રહી છે,
અને તેની આસપાસ ક્રોધિત રણપંખીઓની છાયાઓ ઘૂમી રહી છે
અંધકાર ફરીથી છવાઈ જાય છે; પરંતુ હવે હું જાણું છું પથ્થરની ઊંઘની વીસ સદીઓ
એક હચમચતા પલંગથી દુઃસ્વપ્નમાં વિક્ષોભિત થઈ હતી,
અને કયો ક્રૂર પશુ, જેનું ક્રમ આખરે આવી પહોંચ્યું છે
બેથલહેમ તરફ ઝૂકી રહ્યો છે, જન્મ લેવા માટે?
Comparative Analysis:-
When examining the translations from both ChatGPT and Gemini, several significant challenges and patterns emerge in how these AI tools handled Yeats's complex poem. The most demanding aspects of translation centered around religious and mythological references. Both AI systems chose to transliterate rather than translate terms like "Bethlehem," rendering it as "बेथलेहम/બેથલેહેમ" (ChatGPT) and "बेथलहम/બેથલહેમ" (Gemini). The mystical concept of "Spiritus Mundi" received different treatments, with ChatGPT opting for a more literal "आत्मा की दुनिया/આત્માની દુનિયા" (world of the soul), while Gemini chose the more conceptual "विश्व आत्मा/વિશ્વઆત્મા" (world spirit).
The metaphorical language presented another significant challenge. The famous opening image of the "widening gyre" demonstrates how each AI approached complex poetic imagery differently. ChatGPT maintained a more conservative approach with "चौड़े चक्र/પહોળા ચક્ર" (wide circle), while Gemini attempted to capture the dynamic nature of the image with "वृत्त बढ़ता/વર્તુળ વધતું" (expanding circle).
In terms of metrical considerations, neither AI system fully preserved Yeats's original meter, though they approached this limitation differently. ChatGPT showed more concern for maintaining the original line breaks and formal structure, while Gemini took greater liberties with line arrangement, prioritizing natural flow in the target languages. This difference reflects a fundamental tension in translation theory between formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence.
The handling of cultural connotations reveals interesting patterns in AI translation strategies. The falcon/falconer metaphor, while maintained lexically, lost some of its resonant power in translation. ChatGPT's choice of "बाज़बान/બાજબાન" for falconer maintains a more traditional terminology, while Gemini's use of "शिकारी/બાજીગર" opts for more commonly understood terms.
When viewed through theoretical frameworks, these translations illuminate several key concepts in translation studies. Jakobson's notion of interlingual translation is clearly demonstrated, particularly in how both AIs struggled with achieving true equivalence in metaphorical language. Catford's concept of translation shifts is especially visible in Gemini's work, where both level and category shifts occur frequently to accommodate target language norms.
Ramanujan's emphasis on context-sensitivity is particularly relevant when examining how both AIs handled the poem's apocalyptic imagery and Christian references. The challenge of transferring these Western concepts into Indian linguistic and cultural frameworks reveals the limitations of AI translation for culturally complex texts.
Looking at the translations through Devy's theoretical lens highlights the particular challenges of rendering Western poetic forms in Indian languages. The attempts to maintain the poem's gravitas while working within Hindi and Gujarati linguistic structures shows both the possibilities and limitations of cross-cultural poetic translation.
Overall, ChatGPT's translation demonstrates greater fidelity to the original text's structure and formal elements, while Gemini's version offers more natural linguistic flow in the target languages. However, both translations struggle with fully conveying the deep cultural and historical resonances of Yeats's original work, highlighting the ongoing challenges in automated literary translation.
This comparative analysis reveals that while AI translation tools have made remarkable progress in handling complex poetic texts, they still face significant challenges in capturing the full depth of literary works, particularly when crossing substantial cultural and linguistic boundaries. The choices made by both AI systems reflect different priorities in the eternal balance between fidelity to the original and effectiveness in the target language.
Poem 3: Choose a Gujarati poem and translate it into Hindi and English.
ગામ ને પાદર ઘેઘુર વડલો, ઘેઘુર એની છાયા,
અલક-મલક સવ આવે અહી,, સૌને તેની માયા,
વડવાયોએ લટકાઈને છોકરાઓ જુલે જૂલા,
પાંદડાઓ અને ડાળખીઓ થી ઘરના જગે ચૂલા,
ઉનાળામાં ઓથ છે એની પશુ-પક્ષીઓ માથે,
પશુ-પક્ષીઓ સવ રહે છે અહી એક સાથે,
બાળકોનું ઘોડિયું બાંધી, મા ફેરવતી હાથ માથે,
છોકરાઓનું બાળપણ વીતે છે અહી, રમત-ગમતમાં સાથે,
યુવાન પ્રેમીઓનું મિલન થાય અહી, પ્રેમિકા સંગાથે,
ઘરડાઓનું ઘડપણ વીતે છે, ચોરો ભરી સાથે,
વટેમાર્ગુ ને પોરો મળે અહી, સૌને તેની છાયા,
ગાયોના ગોવાળ પણ, પોરો ખાય છે આયા,
પેઢીઓની પેઢીઓને આપતો આવ્યો છાયા,
પશુ-પક્ષી અને માણસો, સૌને તેની માયા,
પાછો લાવ્યો ગામને પાદર, વડલા તારી માયા,
ગામ ને પાદર ઘેઘુર વડલો, ઘેઘુર એની છાયા,
– નીતિન ગજ્જર
Translation by ChatGPT
Hindi Translation
English Translation
Translation by Gemini
Hindi Translation
वट का वृक्ष
गाँव के चौक पर बड़ा सा वटवृक्ष छाया फैलाता, मन को करता है शीतल
यहाँ आते हैं सब, बड़े-बुजुर्ग और बच्चे वटवृक्ष की छाया में पाते हैं आनंद
लड़के झूले झूलते, शाखाओं पर लटक कर पत्तों और डालियों से बना घर
गर्मी में पशु-पक्षियों को छाया देता है सब मिलकर रहते हैं, प्रेम से गाते हैं
माँ बांधती है झूला, बच्चे झूलते हैं बचपन बीतता है, खेलों में मस्त रहते हैं
युवा प्रेमी मिलते हैं, यहाँ पर आकर बूढ़े बैठकर करते हैं बातें
राही को मिलता है आराम, पशुओं को चारा पीढ़ी दर पीढ़ी, सभी को देता है सहारा
पशु-पक्षी और इंसान, सब मिलकर रहते गाँव के चौक पर बड़ा सा वटवृक्ष, सबको प्यारा
English Translation
The Banyan Tree
A giant banyan tree, the village square's delight,
Its shade so cool, a soothing, peaceful sight.
Here gather all, young, old, both great and small,
Beneath its boughs, they find solace for all.
Boys swing from branches, building leafy homes,
While birds and beasts find shelter from storms.
Mothers sway swings, children laugh and play,
Childhood days pass in a carefree way.
Young lovers meet, their hearts filled with glee,
While elders sit, content and free.
The weary traveler finds rest and shade,
And cattle graze where cool shadows are laid.
For generations, it has stood so tall,
A friend to all, both great and small.
The village square's banyan, a beloved tree,
A symbol of unity, wild and free.
Comparative Analysis:-
Looking at syntax, ChatGPT maintains a closer structural fidelity to the original Gujarati poem, preserving the parallel constructions and line-by-line flow. Gemini takes more liberties with sentence structure, often combining or reorganizing lines to create a more flowing English narrative. This is particularly evident in how Gemini transforms the repeated mentions of "છાયા" (shade) into varied expressions like "delight" and "peaceful sight."
Regarding meter and sound, neither translation fully captures the rhythmic quality of the original Gujarati. ChatGPT attempts to maintain some internal rhyme with pairs like "swayed/replayed" and "grace/pace," while Gemini creates a more consistent end-rhyme scheme with couplets like "delight/sight" and "small/all." However, both miss the musical quality created by the original's repetitive use of "છે" (che) and other sonic patterns intrinsic to Gujarati.
The handling of cultural connotations reveals interesting differences. ChatGPT preserves culturally specific terms like "herders" and "meadow," staying closer to the rural Indian context. Gemini opts for more universalized expressions, transforming "ચોરો" (choro - a village meeting place) into "village square" and "ગોવાળ" (goval - cowherd) into the more generic "cattle graze."
One of the most challenging aspects for both AI tools was translating "માયા" (maya), which carries complex philosophical and emotional connotations in Indian culture. ChatGPT translates it as "embrace" or "enchantment," while Gemini avoids direct translation, instead conveying the sentiment through phrases like "beloved" and "friend to all."
In terms of theoretical frameworks, these translations demonstrate what Ramanujan describes as the tension between formal and cultural translation. Both AI tools struggle with what Catford would term "cultural untranslatability," particularly evident in their handling of terms like "ચોરો" and "માયા." Jakobson's concept of intersemiotic translation is relevant here, as both tools attempt to transfer not just linguistic meaning but also the cultural and emotional resonance of the original.
The translations also reflect Devy's observations about the challenges of translating Indian literature into English, particularly in how both AI tools negotiate between maintaining cultural authenticity and creating accessibility for English readers. ChatGPT tends toward what Devy would call a more "faithful" translation, while Gemini adopts a more adaptive approach.
Overall, ChatGPT's translation appears more successful in maintaining the original's content and cultural nuances, while Gemini's version creates a more naturally flowing English poem. However, both struggle with fully capturing the cultural and philosophical depths embedded in the original Gujarati text, demonstrating the persistent challenges in automated translation of culturally rich poetic texts.
Poem 4: Hindi poem and translate it into English and Gujarati.
अकाल और उसके बाद
कई दिनों तक चूल्हा रोया, चक्की रही उदास
कई दिनों तक कानी कुतिया सोई उनके पास
कई दिनों तक लगी भीत पर छिपकलियों की गश्त
कई दिनों तक चूहों की भी हालत रही शिकस्त
दाने आए घर के अंदर कई दिनों के बाद
धुआँ उठा आँगन से ऊपर कई दिनों के बाद
चमक उठी घर भर की आँखें कई दिनों के बाद
कौए ने खुजलाई पाँखें कई दिनों के बाद
Translation by ChatGPT
English Translation
Gujarati Translation
English Translation
A House of Want For many days,
the hearth wept, the grinder mourned,
A blind bitch slept nearby, her spirit worn.
For many days, the lizards patrolled the wall,
And mice were vanquished, small and frail.
At last, grain came into the house, after such a wait,
Smoke rose above the courtyard, so sweet.
The house's eyes lit up, after many a night.
The crow preened its feathers, a joyful sight.
Gujarati Translation
ઘરમાં અનાજ ન હોવાથી
ઘણા દિવસો સુધી ચૂલો રડ્યો, ચક્કી ઉદાસ રહી
ઘણા દિવસો સુધી અંધી કુતરી સૂતી રહી
ઘણા દિવસો સુધી દીવાલ પર ગરોળી ફરતી રહી
ઘણા દિવસો સુધી ઉંદરોની હાલત ખરાબ રહી
ઘણા દિવસો પછી ઘરમાં અનાજ આવ્યું
ઘણા દિવસો પછી આંગણે ધુમાડો ઉઠ્યો ઘણા દિવસો પછી
ઘરની આંખો ચમકી ઉઠી
ઘણા દિવસો પછી કાગડો પાંખ ફેરવતો રહ્યો
Comparative Analysis:-
When examining the translations from both AI tools, there are significant differences in their approaches to handling the original Hindi poem. ChatGPT demonstrates a stronger commitment to maintaining the formal structure of the original, consistently preserving the repetitive pattern of "कई दिनों तक" by translating it as "For days" at the beginning of each line. This adherence to the original structure aligns with Ramanujan's concept of formal translation, where the emphasis is on preserving the structural integrity of the source text.
Gemini, in contrast, takes a more interpretive approach, adding a title "A House of Want" that wasn't present in the original and varying the sentence structures to create what it considers more natural English poetry. This approach reflects a cultural translation strategy, prioritizing the conveyance of meaning and emotional impact over strict formal equivalence.
The handling of culturally specific terms presents interesting challenges for both AI tools. The metaphor of "चूल्हा रोया" (the weeping hearth) is preserved by both translations, successfully maintaining the powerful imagery of hunger and deprivation. However, they differ in their treatment of "कानी कुतिया," with ChatGPT opting for "lame dog" while Gemini chooses "blind bitch," demonstrating different interpretations of the cultural connotations associated with this image.
The concept of "आँगन" (courtyard) presents a particular challenge as it carries specific cultural connotations in Indian households that aren't fully captured by the English translation. Similarly, the significance of धुआँ (smoke) rising from the courtyard as a sign of life and activity in an Indian household context loses some of its cultural resonance in translation. These challenges align with Jakobson's theories about the limitations of finding perfect equivalence across languages, especially when dealing with culturally embedded concepts.
In terms of maintaining the poem's emotional progression from desolation to hope, both translations succeed but through different means. ChatGPT achieves this through faithful preservation of the original's stark simplicity and rhythmic pattern, while Gemini emphasizes the emotional arc through more interpretive language choices and structural modifications. This difference in approach reflects the ongoing tension in translation theory between fidelity to form and fidelity to meaning.
The handling of metre and sound reveals another significant difference between the two translations. ChatGPT maintains the rhythmic pattern of the original more closely, whereas Gemini sacrifices some of this rhythmic consistency in favor of what it perceives as more natural English poetic flow. This choice reflects the classic translator's dilemma of balancing source language patterns with target language conventions.
Looking at the translations through Devy's theoretical framework, we can see how both AI tools grapple with the challenge of bridging not just linguistic but cultural gaps. ChatGPT's more literal approach might better serve readers interested in understanding the original's structure, while Gemini's more adaptive translation might better convey the poem's emotional impact to readers unfamiliar with Indian cultural contexts.
Ultimately, these translations demonstrate the complex interplay between formal equivalence and cultural adaptation in literary translation, with each AI tool prioritizing different aspects of the original text. ChatGPT's translation succeeds better at maintaining the formal elements and repetitive structure that give the original its power, while Gemini's version might be more accessible to English readers, though at the cost of some formal fidelity to the original.
The AI translations of Yeats's "The Second Coming" into Hindi and Gujarati demonstrate both the progress and limitations of machine translation in handling literary texts. The analysis reveals that while both ChatGPT and Gemini successfully accomplish basic linguistic conversion, they struggle with preserving the deeper cultural and poetic elements emphasized by translation theorists. ChatGPT's approach favors structural fidelity to the original text, while Gemini prioritizes natural expression in the target languages. However, both systems show notable limitations in addressing cultural contexts and poetic nuances, particularly in translating Western religious and apocalyptic imagery into Indian linguistic frameworks. These findings indicate that while AI translation has advanced significantly, it has yet to fully bridge the gap between mechanical language transfer and the nuanced cultural mediation required for sophisticated literary translation.
This assessment aligns with established translation theories while highlighting the continuing challenges in computational approaches to literary translation. The results suggest that AI translation, while increasingly sophisticated, still requires development to fully address the complex cultural and contextual dimensions of poetry translation.
References:
Barad, Dilip. (2024). Guidelines for Using Generative AI in Translation Studies. 10.13140/RG.2.2.29351.25766.
Barad, Dilip. (2024). Translation Studies Activity Worksheet Using Gen AI Tools for Translating Poems. 10.13140/RG.2.2.32287.27041.
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Faiz, Ahmed Faiz. "Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Mirii Mehboob Na Maang." Rekhta
Foundation, https://www.rekhta.org/nazms/mujh-se-pahlii-sii-mohabbat-mirii-
mahbuub-na-maang-mujh-se-pahlii-sii-mohabbat-mirii-mahbuub-na-maang-faiz-
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