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DIR Return to: Ali Smith - Winter
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#Post#: 35--------------------------------------------------
puns
By: featheryca Date: June 26, 2018, 1:58 pm
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This book seems to be incredibly full of wordplays even by Ali
Smith's standards. I normally tend to change and adapt (that's
what Italian translators generally do also because that's what
Italian publishers and editors generally want), but I'm very
tempted to recur to a couple of footnotes this time around, as
otherwise I'd find myself completely (and maybe arbitrarily)
rewriting whole paragraphs just for the sake of a pun.
I'm curious to know: what's your general approach with Ali's
wordplays? Do you change and adapt to your target language or do
you explain in footnotes?
#Post#: 36--------------------------------------------------
Re: puns
By: MAV Date: June 28, 2018, 5:37 am
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Hi Federica.
Based on the fundamental premise that Ali Smith's work (and
literary identity) is mostly form and architecture, I too tend
to adapt (as long as the original meaning and intentions are not
lost) and avoid footnotes.
"Pun-wise" (and formally, in general), Winter was, by far, Ali's
hardest book I came across. But I used all my resources so as to
overcome every obstacle. It was an herculean effort at times,
but I have managed to finish the translation without one single
footnote, except for the «Triumph» line — which I chose to
translate in order to maintain the cadency of the speech (with a
footnote explaining it was a British car company). Otherwise,
the book's main purposes would be lost in translation.
I'm currently editing and revising the translation's final
version so, given the similarities between Portuguese and
Italian, perhaps I can be of some help. In case you want to
exchange ideas or ask what specific solution I found for a
specific pun or formal "obstacle", feel free to do so.
All the best,
Manuel
#Post#: 37--------------------------------------------------
Re: puns
By: featheryca Date: June 29, 2018, 6:32 am
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Thank you Manuel!
#Post#: 39--------------------------------------------------
Re: puns
By: featheryca Date: July 1, 2018, 7:25 am
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I was wondering did you adapt also when the etymology of puddle
is explained and the link of the word with the word muddle is
discussed. My decision is to stick to the English words,
otherwise I'd have to drag into the story the etymology of the
corresponding Italian and Latin words and that would completely
sidetrack the discourse. I strongly feel that in this instance
(as in many others, here as well as in all of Ali's books) the
English language is not only a vehicle to convey meaning, a
story, but it's the meaning itself, it's a character, it's the
story itself, it's the whole point. And it feels to me that
replacing it (by it I mean the English language when it's not
transparent, when it's the protagonist) single-handedly with
another language, is just too much of an arbitrariness.
I have translated all of Ali's books published in Italy, but
every time it's like the first time all over again :)
Federica
#Post#: 40--------------------------------------------------
Re: puns
By: MAV Date: July 2, 2018, 4:39 am
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Hi.
I totally understand your option. However, I did adapt. Based on
the origin of "charco" (Portuguese for puddle) and its other
meanings ("atoleiro" [mess/quagmire] and "espírito sujo" [dirty
spirit]), I've managed to maintain the original intentions —
both etymologically and semantically.
I'm on my third book by Ali Smith, and yes, I tend to agree.
#Post#: 41--------------------------------------------------
Re: puns
By: Jerzy Date: July 19, 2018, 12:27 pm
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Dear Federica, I had similar thoughts about English (the
language) as a character in Ali Smith books. But like Manuel I
do my best to adapt, having decided that it is language as such
that is this extra character, any language that we happen to
work in. Therefore, I changed the 'puddle' etymology paragraph
working with the Polish word for a puddle and finding a way to
etymologically connect "puddle" and "muddle" (as in old Slavic a
puddle was literally "muddled water"). So far, and I have
translated roughly 200 pages, I managed to avoid footnotes.
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