tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post1892606270121342970..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: My Summer of Self-Translating - Clementine BeauvaisUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-60393712037246280402016-07-29T13:27:06.597+01:002016-07-29T13:27:06.597+01:00That's so interesting, Clementine. I'm re...That's so interesting, Clementine. I'm really intrigued by the difference - and the idea of your British self being offended by your French self! Emma Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02718171070716804800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-64784446103365995502016-07-28T17:23:03.898+01:002016-07-28T17:23:03.898+01:00I particularly noted these lines:
"The UK, ...I particularly noted these lines:<br /> <br />"The UK, as we all know and should be ten times more worried about, is legendarily lame at buying books from other countries, and YA and children's literature is no exception. Most of the time, books that do get translated are those that take place in culturally nonspecific places, or in fantasy lands."<br /><br />I'm sure our UK children are all the poorer and less-informed because of this limited pool of stories and cultures.Penny Dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386668303428008498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-63495815598380615682016-07-28T16:12:31.045+01:002016-07-28T16:12:31.045+01:00Thank you for the comments! I agree, Diane, I like...Thank you for the comments! I agree, Diane, I like the feeling of strangeness/ foreignness that you get from a book when it's clear it wasn't written in English... And no, Cathy, I don't know that one, but it looks great...<br /><br />And Emma, yes, sure! it's mostly because the book in French has a lot of sarcasm and dark humour surrounding body weight and appearance. Those are (I think) much touchier topics in Britain than they are in France. The whole story revolves around 3 girls who've 'won' an ugliness contest at their school - and even though the whole story is technically about them 'overcoming adversity', or whatever you want to call it, it's not always presented in a way that is directly acceptable from a British perspective. I can't say exactly why. It's funny. I guess I've lived here long enough that I can sense that many of the jokes and comments around that contest are very close to the line... but I'm not quite sure I can pinpoint what exactly 'the line' is! But it's interesting for me to see how much my British self finds my French self too offensive at times. Clementine Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-46191779909530017002016-07-28T15:53:07.655+01:002016-07-28T15:53:07.655+01:00I'm really curious to know - what are the joke...I'm really curious to know - what are the jokes that would be considered offensive in the UK? Please do share!<br />Emma Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02718171070716804800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-49543554491397920832016-07-28T12:58:06.095+01:002016-07-28T12:58:06.095+01:00What a wonderful glimpse into the art and work of ...What a wonderful glimpse into the art and work of translating - as well as the way that writing in French or English uses more than a whole other set of words. Excellent post! Penny Dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386668303428008498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-89549397883766524522016-07-28T11:30:48.112+01:002016-07-28T11:30:48.112+01:00I love this post but then I love translated work. ...I love this post but then I love translated work. Another nuance is brought to a translated book, that we don't get if the book is written in English. Here I'm thinking particularly of Per Petersen's work as in 'Out Stealing Horses' and 'I Refuse'. The Norwegianess of the writing and the strangeness of the setting... comes through in the translation. It's not a weakness. It's wonderful. And intrinsic to the story. It seems this is exactly what you're doing and I look forward to the Frenchness of your story. Good luck! <br />Dianne Hofmeyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222157214605257030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-23290243066841794572016-07-28T11:15:07.910+01:002016-07-28T11:15:07.910+01:00I can't wait to find out what you called the b...I can't wait to find out what you called the book! (By the way, do you know Lawrence Venuti's <i>The Translator's Invisibility</i>?)Catherine Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17693526864905868829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-11656646792037289802016-07-28T10:00:43.419+01:002016-07-28T10:00:43.419+01:00Completely fascinating - wishing you luck. And str...Completely fascinating - wishing you luck. And strength!<br />Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.com