Ichiro is awesome. Not only is he one of the most unique players we’ve ever seen, he’s quite the character as well. He’ll surprise you with an All-Star game speech one day and then the next there’s rumors that he could be a power hitter if he wanted to.
Now we have another gem: Ichiro speaks a little bit of Spanish. And in classic Ichiro fashion, he likes to have some fun with it.
My favorite bit? When asked why he still uses an interpreter when he can speak relatively well (in English), he answers:
“Those are two completely different things,” he insists. “When I’m being interviewed, presumably it’s because people want to know how I feel about something or what my motivation is, not because they want to hear what I sound like in English. I wouldn’t be true to the task if I responded in my unrefined English. It might be funny for a second to hear me bumble my way through, but I have to believe that they’re asking because they sincerely want to know my thoughts. I’d rather respond, then, in my native tongue so I can most accurately express myself.”
And that really gets to the heart of the matter when you’re trying to translate the words someone is saying. There is the literal meaning, there is the cultural translation you try to address, and then there’s the human part of it you try to get across as well. What a smile or a smirk might mean in the context of the words coming out of a player’s mouth.
It’s not easy, but when you do it right it’s a great feeling because—in a way—you’re helping this person express themselves and allowing them to connect with other people.
And one more part I liked from this story—Ichiro on why he gets along so well with Spanish players:
“I feel a bond with them,” he said. “We’re all foreigners in a strange land. We’ve come over here and had to cope with some of the same trials and tribulations. When I throw a little Spanish out at them, they really seem to appreciate it and it seems to strengthen that bond. And besides, we don’t really have curse words in Japanese, so I like the fact that the Western languages allow me to say things that I otherwise can’t.”
God bless you Ichiro…we’re gonna miss you when you’re gone.
Image by Rafael Amado Deras
The Stretch 