Pride and Prejudice opening sentence in Russian

[John Dunn]

I thought that Alina Israeli's version was an improvement on both published translations, but Ralph Cleminson's offering raises an interesting question that has been going through my mind all day. While pondering the question why translations might, in general, tend to be 'flatter' or more neutral than their corresponding originals, I realised that in addition to the problem of unconventional language of all sorts there is that of chronology.  Jane Austen writes in early-nineteenth-century English, but (as I was going to say) no-one is likely to produce a translation into Russian of the corresponding period.  In fact, this is what I interpret Ralph to be attempting, but I hope he will not take undue exception if I suggest that this is more of an intellectual exercise (however well executed) than a practical solution (though cf. the 'invention' of Old Russian in the film Ivan Groznyj).

I suspect that chronology is part of the problem with 'Catcher in the Rye': the 1990s translation is anachronistic, since Holden Caulfield uses the language of the 1950s.  But to attempt to reproduce Russian teenage language of the 1950s (if such a thing exists) would create problems of a different sort, and therefore it seems to me that some degree of linguistic neutralisation is unavoidable.   

On occasion this neutralisation can have the effect of producing translations that are more accessible than the originals.

John Dunn. 
________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU] On Behalf Of R. M. Cleminson [rmcleminson at POST.SK]
Sent: 12 September 2013 17:27
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Pride and Prejudice opening sentence in Russian

I can't resist either.

Истина сия повсеместно признаваема, что неженатый господин, добрым состоянием обладающий, непременно нуждается в супруге.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------