Retired Chiayi English teacher translates father's wartime memoirs into English

http://www.cna.com.tw/Topic/NewsTopic/425-1/201303020022-1.aspx

Tony Kuo translated his father's memoirs titled "The Peaceful Gunfire."

by CNA reporter Jiang Jun-liang

Tony Kuo said, he read his father's memoirs Letter, the number of degree tears, but also admiration for his father compassionate mind. Because my father was alive, did not talk much, so the memoirs of his father, so that he new understanding of his father by reading between the lines.He said, the memory of the father has always been quiet, totally blind Sijhou home near catastrophe, sky bad smell in the house, others shunned, the father was often taken care of for the blind old woman down the pail latrines, wash clothing and bedding.In July 2005, Guo Tianlu died. 2 years later, Guo Datong retired from Chiayi High School because of their English teachers, retired proceed with the translation of the father posthumous.While the "peace war" is written in the Chinese language, but Guo Tianlu by the Japanese education, the book some nouns in Japanese direct writing, the fact that some of the terms can not be literally translated, Guo Datong also additional to the people to ask.Guo Datong father in his memoirs described from Manao melons to the security pattern aboard the transport ship, fishing boats, this boat burning jade engine "fuel, although with heavy oil, but must use a gasoline can be mobilized.Ship sailing one week after losing momentum in the waters near the security pattern, gasoline for launching the "burn jade engine after 2,3 times lead to fragmentation, declared exhausted, so let Guotian Lu and floated out to sea 3 or 4 days.Guo Datong burn Jade engine "is a proper noun, not in accordance with the literal translation of" burn, or make a building burn, jade engine He looked around to find information in Japanese translated into the English Yakitama motor ", and finally found a fishing boat company in Yilan.Guo of Datong translation father posthumous completion, the "peace war" Total, Japan, English language version of these three versions were later Taiwan Historica Museum collection.After the Lunar New Year in 2009, the former curator of the Taiwan Historica Xie Jialiang specifically wrote to thank Guo Datong, thank him for his donation of three kinds of language version of his memoirs.Xie Jialiang letter For Guo Tianlu records related Local Customs of the South Seas islands, the vivid description of the scenery, and minority women reduced to the compassion of the Japanese "comfort women", expressed deep admiration.In addition, he also believes that "peace war" book, records of World War II when the suffering of the people of Asian countries, not only fill the history of the window, and more with the historical facts of war trauma contemplation, is a rare biography Record. 1020302

退休英文師 含淚翻譯父親遺作

 

2013/03/02

嘉義高中退休英文教師郭大同，手捧父親遺作「和平戰火」及自己為父親英譯的「The Peaceful Gunfire」。（中央社記者江俊亮攝 102年3月2日）

和平戰火系列5-6（中央社記者江俊亮嘉義2日電）郭天祿回憶錄「和平戰火」成書後，讓兒子郭大同重新認識父親。郭大同退休後，含淚將父親遺作譯成英文，由台灣文獻館典藏。

郭大同說，他看完父親的回憶錄與家書後，數度掉淚，也感佩父親悲天憫人的胸懷。由於父親在世時話不多，因此父親回憶錄，讓他從字裡行間重新認識父親。

他說，記憶中的父親向來沉默寡言，溪洲老家附近有個雙眼全盲的獨居老婦，家中穢氣沖天，別人避之唯恐不及，父親卻經常前往照料，為失明老婦倒糞桶、換洗衣物及被褥。

2005年7月，郭天祿病逝。2年後，郭大同自嘉義高中退休，由於本身是英文教師，因此退休後，即著手翻譯父親遺作。

雖然「和平戰火」是以中文寫成，但因郭天祿受日本教育，書中有些名詞是以日文直接書寫，再加上部分專有名詞無法直譯，因此郭大同還要再另外向人請教。

郭大同說，父親在回憶錄裡描述從馬瑙瓜里到安紋所搭乘的運輸船，是漁船改裝而成的，這種船使用「燒玉引擎」，燃料雖然用的是重油，卻必須使用汽油才能發動。

這艘船在航行1星期後，在安紋附近海域失去動力，用來發動「燒玉引擎」的汽油，在經過2、3次引發不成後，就宣告用盡，因此讓郭天祿在海上漂流了3、4天。

郭大同說，「燒玉引擎」是專有名詞，不能依字面直譯為「burn jade engine」，他四處找資料，最後在宜蘭某漁船公司找到日文譯成英文的「Yakitama motor」。

郭大同翻譯父親遺作完成後，「和平戰火」共有中、日、英3種語文版本，這3種版本後來都被國史館台灣文獻館典藏。

台灣文獻館前館長謝嘉梁在2009年農曆春節過後，還特地寫信向郭大同致謝，感謝他轉贈3種語文版本的回憶錄。

謝嘉梁在信中，對於郭天祿記載南洋諸島相關土俗、風物的生動描述，以及少數民族婦女淪為日軍「慰安婦」的悲憫，表示深為感佩。

此外，他也認為「和平戰火」一書，記載二戰時亞洲各國人民苦難，不但填補歷史空窗，更具有戰爭史實的創傷觀照，是一本不可多得的傳記實錄。1020302