Comments on Simon Strantzas: A word by any other word...

No.

2009-05-11T19:29:00.000-04:00

No.

Couldn't you at least blog about the new Star Trek...

2009-05-11T15:12:00.000-04:00

Couldn't you at least blog about the new Star Trek film for gods sake!

I swear its like if i don't complain you don't blog!!!

;)

Yes, Richard, that sums it up pretty well. Sometim...

2009-05-09T13:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, Richard, that sums it up pretty well. Sometimes, while reading translations, I get the feeling they are written by academics rather than writers — the word choice seems clunky sometimes. Whose fault is that, I wonder?

But no one should be nervous about the Jean Ray volume. I only mentioned it because it was a catalyst for my thoughts. No judgement of the book intended.

I think what Simon might be suggesting here (and c...

2009-05-09T11:32:00.000-04:00

I think what Simon might be suggesting here (and correct me if I'm wrong, Simon) isn't that reading English-language translations can be a lot like the old childhood party game of 'Telephone', where a simple message gets passed through so many people that the final version bears little resemblance to the original.

I agree with him on this. It's not that translations are not worthwhile, but whenever I read them a small part of me is wondering whether I'm a fan of the author or of the translator. I've read the same French horror story (in English) by different translators; one was lean and punchy, the other lush and poetic. Which was the author's intention? Did the translator write "red" when the author wrote "vermillion"? Did the protagonist "leave" or did he "flee"?

These might sound like nitpicks, but when one takes into account how important word-selection is (particularly to weird and horrific fiction), they are quite significant.

Yes, having the translation is "better than nothing", but that's still not good enough for me.

I just received my Jean Ray volume last week, so I haven't yet delved into it. Now I'm a bit nervous about doing so...

How many original paintings have you ever seen? H...

2009-05-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

How many original paintings have you ever seen? How many prints? Ever been to see the original Sistine Chapel? A photograph or a print is not the original- you are missing a great many nuances, a great deal of the art of the original. Are you still glad you've seen the photos? Live music vs. a cd? Again, a copy, a transliteration. But very worthwhile. & foreign films? Would I have rather never seen "Babette's Feast" or "Antonia's Line" than have to have seen them w/ subtitles in order to be able to understand them? HELL NO! All VERY worthwhile, even though not the original.

Ask Mrs Samuels - she translates English into Span...

2009-05-05T08:25:00.000-04:00

Ask Mrs Samuels - she translates English into Spanish and vice versa.

That's sort of the point — you don't know, based o...

2009-05-05T08:11:00.000-04:00

That's sort of the point — you don't know, based on the translations. All you get of the original work is an impression; I doesn't seem possible a book could be translated 100% into another language.

I know there's no other option, and maybe half is better than nothing, but I can't help but feel cheated sometimes reading one.

An interesting point, my good sir. But if you have...

2009-05-05T03:20:00.000-04:00

An interesting point, my good sir. But if you haven't read the original foreign language stories, how would you even know if the translation is good or bad?