Some examples from the project I'm working on to further illustrate the point:
Literal translation: "Yeah... Who knows as of when we'll be able to become that kind of big person..."
This version only gets the point across with difficulty. Instead, I wrote: "Yeah... Who knows how much time we'll need to become as dependable as him."
"That's probably why it took time to properly digest the bigness of adults inside our chests..."
This one sounds almost comical in English. I changed it to "That must be why it took us so long to realize how thoughtful adults are."
I always assumed it was common knowledge that translation is about carrying over meaning, not words. Imagine my incredulity when I learned that some people actually prefer the latter.
frc_ got a reaction from Fred the Barber in I Hate Big Backs and I Can Not Lie