New Leaf Vote for January 2019 • Lost in Translation: Other Tongues

[fantasyfan]

Originally Posted by gmw

And there I was thinking that all I'd done was nominate a good book. (Or so I remember it.)

fantasyfan, Le Guin died in January. I purchased the ebook edition of this (and the Earthsea novels) back in February; news of her death being a reminder that I'd been meaning to revisit her books for a long time. When this theme came up it seemed like kismet: now was the time to start my re-reads.

Thanks for the correction.

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by issybird

I am seriously considering it for next year. It wouldn't take much of a nudge - and anyone else would be welcome to join in!

As for AK, it's appalling that the famous scene isn't the end of the novel. Talk about anti-climactic!

I"ll join in that as well. I've read it three times and thoroughly enjoy it every time I've read it. Funny I toyed with the idea of nominating it for the lost in translation category this month. A Russian told me once, you have to read it in it's original Russian to get the full flavor of it.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

I"ll join in that as well. I've read it three times and thoroughly enjoy it every time I've read it. Funny I toyed with the idea of nominating it for the lost in translation category this month. A Russian told me once, you have to read it in it's original Russian to get the full flavor of it.

One of my sisters is fluent in Russian; I'll seek her opinion on that. I know she agrees with me about Anna Karenina, since I discussed it with her when the book club read it.

Originally Posted by drofgnal

I"ll join in that as well. I've read it three times and thoroughly enjoy it every time I've read it. Funny I toyed with the idea of nominating it for the lost in translation category this month. A Russian told me once, you have to read it in it's original Russian to get the full flavor of it.

I think this is true of every major work, the better one's grasp of the original language, the better the connection. That said, the Hindi dub of the recent Jungle Book movie was a delight, while I dropped the English after 5 minutes

[drofgnal]

There are a lot of cultural and historical nuances in War and Peace that probably only a Russian would know. That's why I prefer the recent translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky. They footnote historical and cultural points of interest in the novel. The downside is it retains the French that Tolstoy wrote in the novel but that gets less and less as time goes on past the initial scene in Anna Pavlovna's drawing room soiree. (an intent on Tolstoy's part to indicate declining French influence in upper society). This version is best read on an iPad or touchscreen device to more easily navigate by touch the footnotes and return to the text.

I've also read the Signet Classics version, no footnotes and only a slight phrase of French at the start of a dialogue to indicate the speaker is speaking French.

[BenG]

I recently started reading War and Peace recently for the umpteenth time. I had never gotten much past the first chapter. So many characters and so many names for each one left me confused. This time it seemed to have clicked and I've read up to book 2 so far.
I bought the Simon and Schuster Maude translation which is a step up from Constance Garnett. The French passages are in English and he sometimes uses the English names (Andrew instead of Andre). There are plenty of maps and footnotes. It's a good deal for 99 cents.

https://smile.amazon.com/War-Peace-m...in%3A618073011

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by BenG

I recently started reading War and Peace recently for the umpteenth time. I had never gotten much past the first chapter. So many characters and so many names for each one left me confused. This time it seemed to have clicked and I've read up to book 2 so far.
I bought the Simon and Schuster Maude translation which is a step up from Constance Garnett. The French passages are in English and he sometimes uses the English names (Andrew instead of Andre). There are plenty of maps and footnotes. It's a good deal for 99 cents.

https://smile.amazon.com/War-Peace-m...in%3A618073011

The names can get confusing. There are a few Anna's and sometimes in the Anna Pavlonova's drawing room one of the young princesses is called sometimes by name, sometimes as the 'little princess'. Particular care needs to be had in that first scene as a lot of the important characters are introduced there.

Also best to read about Russian names in the intro, if available and understand nicknames, diminutives, etc.

Originally Posted by BenG

I bought the Simon and Schuster Maude translation which is a step up from Constance Garnett. The French passages are in English and he sometimes uses the English names (Andrew instead of Andre).

I think it's they - the Maudes were two sisters, iirc, and Tolstoy apparently liked their translation.

[BenG]

I believe Aylmer and Louise Maude were husband and wife, though it seems that Louise was responsible in large part for Tolstoy's fiction and Aylmer for his philosophy.

Originally Posted by BenG

I believe Aylmer and Louise Maude were husband and wife, though it seems that Louise was responsible in large part for Tolstoy's fiction and Aylmer for his philosophy.

Thanks for the correction, very interesting! Especially since it means that P&V are continuing a Tolstoy translator tradition

It seems apt that I finished Left Hand of Darkness at 00:30 on Boxing Day - a concept which is itself lost in translation for many.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by stuartjmz

It seems apt that I finished Left Hand of Darkness at 00:30 on Boxing Day - a concept which is itself lost in translation for many.

Well, I have 4 boxes and one large bag packed and ready to go to my domestic violence thrift shop tomorrow (tis not yet Boxing Day here), so it's not that lost in translation.

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Well, I have 4 boxes and one large bag packed and ready to go to my domestic violence thrift shop tomorrow (tis not yet Boxing Day here), so it's not that lost in translation.

What a lovely idea! As for "Boxing Day" getting lost in translation, I quite liked xkcd's take on that this year

https://xkcd.com/2089/