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Old 01-24-2010, 09:30 PM   #1
schroedercl2
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Cool How Does it Affect You When eBooks Aren't Published in Your First Language?

A great number of readers have recently expressed to me their issues with eBooks mostly being published in English. People have different opinions about it, so I want to know: how does it affect you? Are you bothered about the situation, or does it not affect you? Click here to see the rest.
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Old 01-24-2010, 09:45 PM   #2
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I like to read books in the language they were written in, if I am able to do so. Translation ads a layer of interpretation that distorts the original. Some of the beauty of the original language might get lost. Besides, what better way to improve your language skills? Casual conversation will get you only to a certain level. To go deeper you need to read.

I admit it can be tough going.
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Old 01-24-2010, 10:22 PM   #3
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If the book is written in english, I prefer to read it in english. I often find the translations are not very good in preserving the nuance of the originals.
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Old 01-25-2010, 12:38 AM   #4
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Ditto. Plus in general, I don't enjoy reading in french (native speaker) as much as I do in english, which is weird I know, but I can't explain really. I also find it really hard to read in german, although this is the language I speak every day since I moved to Germany 20 odd years ago.

I think that if I was not an avid english reader, I probably would not have fallen in love with ebooks as I have. They are a way for me to get the english books I want without having to pay the dear paperback price they are sold for here.
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Old 01-25-2010, 07:33 AM   #5
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It means that I read almost exclusively English fiction at the moment (English is my only foreign language in which I'm good enough to both read and enjoy, but I'm working on German). I've always had a preference for English and American authors.

Lately, I've gotten more interested in reading Danish fiction, and I it does bother me a bit that I can't get it a ebooks. I much prefer to use an ereader insted of a paper book.

Added: reading the page you linked to, I can see I misunderstood your question. It doesn't bother me to read English fiction in English - and the option of buying Danish fiction in English is pretty much non-existing, so I can't really compare. It's not an issue. What is an issue, is that I hardly ever read Danish fiction at the moment (or other books not by English language authors, but translated into Danish), and I think I'm missing out on something.

Last edited by Ea; 01-25-2010 at 07:37 AM.
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Old 01-25-2010, 07:54 AM   #6
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Of course I would prefer to read the books in my mother language.

But… as there are none (commercial ones), I just have to settle for the next best thing… happily I have no problems with English, so English it is.
Also I can re-read the classics in Portuguese that one can get in per example Project Gutenberg.
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Old 01-25-2010, 08:53 AM   #7
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I prefer books in English. Unless they're translated from Dutch. But, so far, I've not really read any Dutch author I really liked since I moved from children's and young adult to adult books. Dutch authors are generally so... boring...

If it's a translated books from any other language, I prefer English over Dutch.
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Old 01-25-2010, 08:56 AM   #8
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My main problem there, is being unable to find e-books from French author in French.
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Old 01-25-2010, 09:41 AM   #9
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if a book was written in english (or german, or any other germanic language, since i don't speak those) i prefer to read it in english. however there are many french authors i want to read, and i prefer to read spanish / portuguese / italian books in french, since i must read a translation, and i'm very frustrated that most of the books i want to read in french are not available. i am really hoping that french publishers will really soon begin to pick up speed in publishing ebooks because i deeply miss reading in french. i don't mind reading in english, but i don't want it to be my only choice.
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Old 01-25-2010, 11:05 AM   #10
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No problems at all. I read in English 99%. I might read a book or two in Russian if it was written by a Russian writer (but then again, how many did I read? Maybe 2 books over the last 3 years). Something about books in English attracts me.
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Old 01-25-2010, 01:19 PM   #11
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Original language is obviously great, but the publishers simply trying to maximize effectiveness of sales.
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Old 01-25-2010, 01:35 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by angelad View Post
Original language is obviously great, but the publishers simply trying to maximize effectiveness of sales.
How can they do that if the book is not translated into English?
And I wouldn't buy English translations of, for example, French or German books, even if I could get them.
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Old 01-25-2010, 05:05 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by schroedercl2 View Post
A great number of readers have recently expressed to me their issues with eBooks mostly being published in English. People have different opinions about it, so I want to know: how does it affect you? Are you bothered about the situation, or does it not affect you? Click here to see the rest.
I lived in Spain for three years when I was a child. I then took five years of Spanish in jr. high and high school. I took three years of German in high school.

If the book isn't in English, I can't read it. Sigh. All those years of study down the drain.

Derek
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Old 01-25-2010, 07:16 PM   #14
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So, that settles it. All new books should be written in English, to lessen problems with availability....

However, I must confess that I have sometimes enjoyed a translation better than the original. A great translator can be a great thing.
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Old 01-25-2010, 07:20 PM   #15
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I prefer to read a book in it's original language (if I am able to do so). Some of the books might take me a few years as I might not be as fluent as I wish to.

I also like to read books in original language AND translation, just to see if I got it right (or if the translator got it right).

Some of the translation are great, others not so.

And if a book is not available in a language that I can read then it's kind of my problem isn't it?
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