conundrm

[Olga Meerson]

Re: Mary Delle LeBeau's "...unless the translation calls for 
less than seamless--as in the case of Robert Chandler's 
translation of Platonov".  It is more than seamless, not less, 
that Platonov calls for. Also, I agree with you about your 
praise of Robert Chandler's excellent work on Platonov. I 
would, however, note, that when the translation called for 
more than seamless--in fact, for some seams deliberately 
flaunted at us--my contribution to his translations was big. 
When, on the other hand, the English demanded some 
Englishness, i.e., when the seams, although shown, had also to  
be masked as ALMOST normal, his wife Liz's contribution was 
absolutely invaluable.  My task opposed Liz's but I think, 
without either, even Robert's brilliance would have been 
defied by Platonov's idiom. Although humble and polite, it is 
not merely out of politeness or humility that Robert keeps 
insisting on sharing his laurels with us. Ignoring Liz's role 
and mine only makes Robert feel awkward.  Secondary as we are 
to Robert, we are about as necessary as an orchestra is to any 
conductor to incarnate his/ her musical genius on stage. 

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