MML Computer-Assisted Translation

Paul Theroux - The Kingdom By The Sea

Silke Mentchen's IB composition class 2004/5

There were no blank spaces on the map [1] of Great Britain, the best-known, most fastidiously [2] mapped [3] and most widely trampled piece of geography on earth. No country was easier to travel in – the British invented public transport. And yet [4] I had seen practically nothing of it. Writing about a country in its own language was a great advantage, because in other places one [5] was always interpreting and simplifying. Translation created a muffled obliqueness [6] – one was always seeing the country sideways. But language grew out of the landscape – English out of England, and it seemed logical that the country could only be accurately portrayed [7] in its own language. What was I waiting for?

It was a problem of itinerary. My route was crucial. But every mile[8] of Britain had a road through it, there was a track across every field, a footpath in every acre [9] of woods. Perhaps this was why I had never travelled [10] in Britain: I had been unable to decide on the route.

And then I had my way: Narrowly, around[11] the entire coast. There was only one coast, it was one undeviating route, and this way I could see the whole of Britain – and what better way was there to see an island than circumambulating its coast?