We - Yevgeny Zamyatin

seagull · 03-09-2011, 11:36 AM

I see there are two translations of this on the Kindle Store - one by Alexander Glinka which is cheaper than the one by Natasha Randall. Which is superior?

Lirael · 03-10-2011, 02:20 PM

Superior? I'm not sure. I haven't read both translations, but I have read Randall's version - in the last Russian Lit course I took it was the required translation - and I can say I didn't have any problems with it. Compared with the positively ancient translation I'd checked out of the library the language was much less stilted and flowed better.

My google searching hasn't come up with anything else translated by Glinka, whereas Randall is reasonably well-known and well-liked, so make of that what you will.

SensualPoet · 03-12-2011, 04:26 PM

Did you make a decision? The original Gregory Zilboorg is available free as a pdf. Clarence Brown did a fine translation for Penguin Classics in 1993 (also in Kindle for under $8).

seagull · 03-13-2011, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Did you make a decision? The original Gregory Zilboorg is available free as a pdf. Clarence Brown did a fine translation for Penguin Classics in 1993 (also in Kindle for under $8).

I went for the Randall translation. Better to go with a publisher I know and trust when in doubt.

SensualPoet · 03-13-2011, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seagull

I went for the Randall translation. Better to go with a publisher I know and trust when in doubt.

Out of curiosity, since you were comparing Kindle editions, did you grab a sample of each to get a flavour of the competing translations? Randall is published by Random House as I recall.

seagull · 03-13-2011, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Out of curiosity, since you were comparing Kindle editions, did you grab a sample of each to get a flavour of the competing translations? Randall is published by Random House as I recall.

Yes I did. One thing I noticed about the Glinka translation was that although there was a TOC there were no hyperlinks and it was just plain text. I couldn't get a flavour of the competing translations through the Kindle Samples however as before the actual beginning of the Randall translation there is an Introduction by Will Self and Translator's Note. However I used the 'Look Inside' feature on Amazon to look at the actual book and then compared the translations:

Glinka
I'm simply copying, word for word, what has been published in today's State Newspaper:

Randall
I am merely copying, word for word, what was printed in the State Gazette today:

Glinka
The building of the [Integral] will be complete in 120 days. The great historical hour is very close when the first [Integral] rises up into the world space.

Randall
In 120 days, the construction of the Integral will be complete. The great, historic hour when the first Integral will soar through outer space is nigh.

I thought Randall was far superior and the fact that Glinka put Integral in square brackets was odd.

SensualPoet · 03-13-2011, 11:27 AM

The Gregory Zilboorg translation is rendered as:

This is merely a copy, word for word, of what was published this morning in the State newspaper:

In another hundred and twenty days the building of the Integral will be completed. The great historic hour is near, when the first Integral will rise into the limitless space of the universe.

A review of We, inspired by the release of the Randall edition, appeared in the Boston Globe.

FizzyWater · 03-13-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

The Gregory Zilboorg translation is rendered as:

This is merely a copy, word for word, of what was published this morning in the State newspaper:

In another hundred and twenty days the building of the Integral will be completed. The great historic hour is near, when the first Integral will rise into the limitless space of the universe.

Hmmm, I think I like these examples best.

I wonder if this is the version I read back in the 80s when I took "Russian Culture" in college...? Sadly, all I remember for certain was that it had a black cover and that I liked it a whole lot better than 1984.

wyndslash · 03-13-2011, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seagull

Yes I did. One thing I noticed about the Glinka translation was that although there was a TOC there were no hyperlinks and it was just plain text. I couldn't get a flavour of the competing translations through the Kindle Samples however as before the actual beginning of the Randall translation there is an Introduction by Will Self and Translator's Note. However I used the 'Look Inside' feature on Amazon to look at the actual book and then compared the translations:

Glinka
I'm simply copying, word for word, what has been published in today's State Newspaper:

Randall
I am merely copying, word for word, what was printed in the State Gazette today:

Glinka
The building of the [Integral] will be complete in 120 days. The great historical hour is very close when the first [Integral] rises up into the world space.

Randall
In 120 days, the construction of the Integral will be complete. The great, historic hour when the first Integral will soar through outer space is nigh.

I thought Randall was far superior and the fact that Glinka put Integral in square brackets was odd.

you're right. Randall's translation seems smoother also. I also intend to read this book so I might get it soon

03-09-2011, 11:36 AM	#1
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	We - Yevgeny Zamyatin I see there are two translations of this on the Kindle Store - one by Alexander Glinka which is cheaper than the one by Natasha Randall. Which is superior?

03-10-2011, 02:20 PM	#2
Lirael Moomin Posts: 137 Karma: 202147 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: Sony PRS-350	Superior? I'm not sure. I haven't read both translations, but I have read Randall's version - in the last Russian Lit course I took it was the required translation - and I can say I didn't have any problems with it. Compared with the positively ancient translation I'd checked out of the library the language was much less stilted and flowed better. My google searching hasn't come up with anything else translated by Glinka, whereas Randall is reasonably well-known and well-liked, so make of that what you will.

03-12-2011, 04:26 PM	#3
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Did you make a decision? The original Gregory Zilboorg is available free as a pdf. Clarence Brown did a fine translation for Penguin Classics in 1993 (also in Kindle for under $8).

03-13-2011, 11:27 AM	#7
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	The Gregory Zilboorg translation is rendered as: This is merely a copy, word for word, of what was published this morning in the State newspaper: In another hundred and twenty days the building of the Integral will be completed. The great historic hour is near, when the first Integral will rise into the limitless space of the universe. A review of We, inspired by the release of the Randall edition, appeared in the Boston Globe.

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