Our catch phrase is on its way.

Dear Fellow Earthlings,

I am from Oregon – and I love the state. But, Oregon is not England – and the English spoken there is no match for Shakespeare’s. The reason I mention this news here is that the Oregon Shakespeare Festival has announced that it has commissioned translations of all 39 of Shakespeare’s plays into “modern English”since, they believe, “Shakespeare’s English is so far removed from the English of 2015 that it often interferes with our own comprehension.“

Artistic license is fine for the person who has created the art. However, to take a genius’s creations and modify them to fit modern ignorance of the old form is a liberty that I cannot accept. After all, we have computers that can do a print-out of all the updates in nuance and meaning that the experts (?) who deem themselves capable of optimal translations put forth.

Genetically modified plants, animals, enzymes, viruses, people, and ecosystems may be the order of the day for some people, but genetically modified, repackaged Shakespeare would be akin to relabeling a McDonald’s hamburger as a "healthburger".

What’s next? Altering the Mona Lisa so that her tattoos show? Yes, Mr. Shatner, many people out here do indeed need to “get a life"!

In other words, rather than a “facelift” for Shakespeare’s words, whose “eternal summer” need not fade – modern technology and other time saving shortcuts to understanding what he intended for his fans to savour can provide annotated translations that the TRUE Shakespeare fan can study prior to viewing a performance. This would allow the viewer to assess more proficiently and objectively how well the production people and the actors have preserved Shakespeare’s messages and art. Furthermore, such viewers could, as a result of their efforts, more capably evaluate the level of dramatic expertise exhibited by the actors and actresses whose performances they have just seen.

Whether the notes and translations are into American English, Hindu, Irish Gaelic, or Seneca, they will provide valuable assistance in getting Shakespeare’s messages across to various peoples – while not destroying any of the intrinsic beauty carried within his words.

Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.