Three little French kittens were skating on thin ice... un deux trois - quatre cinq.

Original: Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt.

#1:As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

• Diction: The use of the word 'As' is important. It makes it sound like Gregor noticed his transformation as he woke up rather than after he woke up. The use of the words 'uneasy' and 'transformed' are important too. 
• Syntax: The entire phrase is one sentence, it lacks punctuation, which is different than the original.
• Imagery/Details: The word gigantic makes it sound like he's larger than life. However, he's probably just a life size insect. Also the use of the word insect sounds more scientific and 
• Structure: The structure is Gregor, waking up, transformed, and insect. 
• Any other stylist/figurative elements: The "uneasy dreams" foreshadow conflict.

#2:Gregory Samsa woke from uneasy dreams one morning to find himself changed into a giant bug.

• Diction: The words 'uneasy' and 'changed' are used here. Uneasy implies anxiety, and is more of a mental struggle. Changed is also interesting her. Change is a more toned down version of transform. 
• Syntax: This translation also has no punctuation in it. 
• Imagery/Details: Using bug as a descriptor is different than insect, because bug has a more negative connotation to it. 
• Structure: Gregor, waking up, transformation, bug. 
• Any other stylist/figurative elements: This sentence is very short and to the point. 

#3:When Gregor Samsa awoke from troubled dreams one morning he found he had been transformed in his bed into an enormous bug.

• Diction: The use of the word "bug" lets the audience have more freedom with their imagination. Bug can describe a multitude of things. 
• Syntax: There is no punctuation used here. 
• Imagery/Details: There are more details here than in the others mentioning Gregor's bed and the fact that he was turned into an 'enormous' bug. 
• Structure: Gregor, waking up, transformed, bug. 
• Any other stylist/figurative elements: This sentence sounds almost fairy tale like, as if a narrator is telling the story of Gregor Samsa and the day he turned into a bug. 

#4:One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.

• Diction: the use of the word 'vermin' strays from the original idea of a bug/insect. 
• Syntax: There is a lot more punctation used here compared to the others. 
• Imagery/Details: 'Monstrous' is a scary adjective. None of the other translations used a word like that when describing what Gregor transformed into. 
• Structure: Waking up, dreams, Gregor, Vermin.
• Any other stylist/figurative elements: There is a realization that occurs here that Gregor is now a vermin. 

       The literary devices are important to conveying a certain meaning to this sentence. Due to their differences in each device each translation conveys a different meaning. Looking at diction alone amongst the 4 translations, how they described the creature Gregor changes to is different per translation. Translation #1 uses the term insect, which is very specific and makes people think of just insects like flies or ants. The word 'bug' is used in translations #2 and #3. Bug is more of a broader term than insect. Bugs open things up to spiders and such. 'Vermin' is used in the last translation, #4. Vermin strays away from the idea of bugs and insects. Vermin is a word used more for rats and mice, which misses the original point of the sentence. That being said, I feel like diction is the most important literary device when it comes to translating meaning. Diction is an important  device, because the words are what hit the reader first. Or at least that's what hits me first when I'm reading something. The words used and how they are used. 

       This exercise definitely bring ups the difficulty of translating texts. This is because every interpreter has a different idea of what the text is supposed to convey and what is important for message to be conveyed. Different translations affect the tone of the sentence, because this is the tone of the translator and not the author. The translator would have a different perception of the text as compared to the author's original intentions.