Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
There IS quite a lot of spoken French in "War and Peace", and I don't think I've ever seen an edition which translates it other than in footnotes. It's just the way that the book is.
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They vary by the amount of French. The one I previewed on Amazon has the entire first paragraph spoken by Anna Pavlovna in French. The Signet classics paperback only has 'Eh bien, mon prince, ' the rest in English. I don't mind the simple phrases in French but entire paragraphs gets old.
The no cost one here on Amazon actually has no French, even the simple phrases are in English. That too is slightly disappointing as those simple lead-in phrases spoken in French say something about the nature of the character in the book, French being spoken by the Russian elite of the time.
Here is the link to the Amazon one for $0.00.
http://www.amazon.com/War-and-Peace-...1425747&sr=1-2
it seemingly navigates fairly well on my iphone. (Kindle arrives via ups today!!)
I did discover the one corresponding to the Signet Classics paperback is also available on amazon for Kindle (for 8.76) (Translation by Ann Dunnigan). I may order that one when I finally embark as that is the translation I've read before with the minimal amount of lead in French phrases for effect.
Thanks to all.