Translating the ancient text, aka “It’s all Latin to me!”

It’s all Latin to me!

Translating the ancient text!

As martial artists we take on the role of the translator but instead of language we are translating the meaning of movement - and like language, the meaning can sometimes be ambiguous!

Sometimes the reason behind the movement is obvious, sometimes it’s not.

We are looking at the equivalent of an ancient text and we translate it to allow us to understand its purpose, its function - to give it meaning.

The trouble is that it is sometimes difficult to translate and a lot is up to personal interpretation - two or more people can translate the same text/movement and come up with a different result. So we can have good, bad and indifferent translations.

To understand any language - to become fluent - takes time. But even if we aren’t fluent in our chosen art, we can still make ourselves understood - we can make it work - even if our understanding is only broken.

Solo practice of the Kihon and Kata is practicing the shapes - the language, developing confidence in our ability to be “understood”, for the movement to be recognisable. It is our partner work that provides us with the opportunity to develop the ability to have a physical “conversation”; to recognise and understand as well as being understood, and the nuance that conversation brings to our study!

This is where it gets interesting for the student of the martial arts, do we continue to work within the limits of our understanding, or do we strive for fluency?

It takes time, effort and patience to become fluent, and with that fluency comes the ability to converse. Personally, I think it is worth the effort!