Key Idea: Translation is not just a simple word-to-word conversion; it is a complex process involving the balance of accuracy, context, aesthetics, and creativity.

• Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a well-known author, is often read in English through the translations of Gregory Rabassa.
• There's a famous quote by Marquez saying Rabassa's translation of 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' was even better than the original.
• But how do English readers access Marquez's work? Is it a perfect rendition of the original, or has it become a "second original"?

• Translation is not just about transferring the text from one language to another; it's also about maintaining the context, preserving the aesthetic quality, and expressing the essence of the original text.
• Translations can range from highly technical (like a washing-machine manual) to deeply poetic (like a literary novel).
• Good translation needs a balance of precision and creativity.

Real-world example: When you’re using Google Translate to understand a French recipe, precision is key. You want to know exactly how much butter to use. But when translating a French poem, you want to capture the spirit, the emotion, and the rhythm of the original. Precision becomes secondary to aesthetic quality and emotion.