Pride and Prejudice opening sentence in Russian

[John Dunn]

While I agree with the comments made about the Marshak translation, I think there are also problems with Irina Gurova's version.  In particular, I don't see why she has seen fit to move the opening part of the sentence to the end.  Not only does this change the emphasis, but it also loses the intentional bathos of the original: the opening words are meant to lead us on to expect some profound philosophical observation, instead of which we are given a statement of a rather different nature.

John Dunn.        
________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU] On Behalf Of Lyudmila Grinshpan [milagrinshpan at YAHOO.COM]
Sent: 11 September 2013 21:05
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Pride and Prejudice opening sentence in Russian

Все знают, что молодой человек, располагающий средствами, должен подыскивать себе жену.



Translation: Маршак Иммануэль

Холостяк, если он обладает солидным состоянием, должен настоятельно нуждаться в жене, такова общепризнанная истина.

Translation:    Гурова Ирина



Lyudmila
________________________________
From: Klawa Thresher <kthresher at RANDOLPHCOLLEGE.EDU>
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 1:45 PM
Subject: [SEELANGS] Pride and Prejudice opening sentence in Russian



Dear Colleagues,

An English professor from a neighboring college is going to Russia to give some lectures and would like the Russian translation of the first sentence of Pride and Prejudice :  “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in need of a wife.” I am hoping that one of you might already have this in a translation of the book. If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send it to me at: kthresher at randolphcollege.edu<mailto:kthresher at randolphcollege.edu>.

Thank you very much in advance,
Klawa Thresher

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