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In doing some research, I ran across a very recent (2 days ago) interview with the Russian translator of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on Russia's best cultural website Afisha.ru. The Harry Potter translation was rushed and criticized, something the translator admirably addresses in his interview and could have mentioned as an excuse for any failings.
He continues to say, however, the following:
Книга, кстати, достаточно легкая, написана простым языком. Видно было, что какая-то несчастная шотландская разведенная женщина с ребенком или двумя на руках сидела в каком-то кафе и писала явно без особой надежды на успех.
Here is my rough translation: " The book [Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone], by the way, is fairly light, written in a simple language. It was clear, that some unhappy Scottish divorced woman with a child or two(on her lap) sat in a cafe and wrote without any especial hope for success."
All I feel when reading this is rage. First of all, J.K. had only one child. Second of all, hadn't she the right? Third of all, isn't simple language appropriate for a children's book?
Am I overreacting? What do you think?
Thank you for letting me rant. I think my reactions on my professional blog won't be so kindly appreciated.
5 Comments on #$%#: Translating Harry Potter in Russia, last added: 4/28/2011
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I think you've reacted in very simple, restrained language. From that, it is clear that you have two blogs, have at some point in time blogged from a cafe or, worse, a simple diner, and have seen children within the last year.
And I tend to agree with your other points :-)
Oh, wow. WOW.
Please, divorcees with children, only write serious tomes for children that tell them how to live their lives, so that you might be taken seriously by this man who has failed to translate well.
Bah.
no doubt the translator felt the material was beneath him, took the job because he couldn't afford to turn it down, allowed himself to accept that a rushed deadline would excuse poor work, and clearly secretly wishes he had the "luck" of a divorced scottish woman.
if this is an example of his professionalism on translating a "simple" book i cannot imagine what he would do with something more complicated. like YA.
LOL, Greg :)
And, to you too, Tanita. Sheesh, no?
And, David. What's odd about this case is that the translator wasn't even a translator at the time. He was a sports writer. His wife worked at the publishing company and he "won" the translation competition.
He does say something very important, however, in the interview, and that is that translators need editors, too.
I'm not an expert on the normal process of book translations, but it would seem important for the translator to like the novel being translated. Without this attachment, why not just use automated translation software?
Oh, and ditto what David already said about the translator.