Alice translation

[De Reuse, Willem]

Interesting discussion. I did not know about Alice in Wonderland. As someone who works on Apache, I get a lot of requests for translations, as Apache is one of these "iconic" Native American languages.


One has to pick and choose, if it is short and culturally appropriate, I generally agree to it. I remember once translating a short Jewish prayer into Apache. The Apaches liked it. After all Apaches, like Jews, know something about wandering about in the desert.


Then other requests have to be nixed, like the set of "Spring Break" phrases I once was asked to translate, things like "I am so drunk", and "where is the bathroom?".


Portions of the Bible have more appeal that the other four works. I add a link to a nice example. Thanks Jimm for this.



http://iowayotoelang.nativeweb.org/pdf/christmasstory.pdf


Another great Bible story that has been used for linguistic work is the Parable of Prodigal son, which has been recorded in many more versions than the New Testament itself, and probably second in number of translations to the Lord's Prayer.   One does not have to be a Christian to appreciate this parable is an awfully good story, of almost universal appeal, except maybe to vegans!


Willem

________________________________
From: Siouan Linguistics <SIOUAN at listserv.unl.edu> on behalf of Jimm Goodtracks <jgoodtracks at GMAIL.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2014 10:27 AM
To: SIOUAN at listserv.unl.edu
Subject: Re: Alice translation

Dear Erik Hanson:

I cannot refute what you say below in regard to your statement that Alice in Wonderland, the Bible, Koran and Shakespeare are the most translated and published in various languages of the world.  If you say so, I will take it as so on face value.  However, I assure you that in the last 115 years here in Indian Country, USA, there has been no interest in these four works of literature on the part of an member of the indigenous communities of the Northern and Southern Plains that represent the Siouan, Caddoan and other indigenous languages families.

As such, for my part, I have not available time to spend in satisfying someone's whims to translate some phrase or work of no consequence to the language  communities just for the hell of it, i.e., the sake of making a translation.  Such tasks can be given to the idle hands of someone who has nothing better to do with their time.

Sincerely,
Jimm G. Goodtracks
Jimm G. Goodtracks
B?xoje Jiw?re Language Project
PO Box 55
Tecumseh, KS 66542


Uk?nadheda waw??arana, ich^? nah?, inj? et?we war?xi?eda ad??e?dan - w?gi?i kigr??ige ?thgare ke.
"In the middle of resisting, the language got caught, only showing her face in ceremony, like she's ashamed of her scars."
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FUgDutdauQ&feature=share


-----Original Message-----
From: Erik Hanson
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2014 9:54 AM
To: Jimm Goodtracks
Subject: Alice translation

Hello:

"Alice" is one of the standards that translators deal with and think about. It's the fourth most quoted work in history (after the Bible, Koran,  and the complete works of Shakespeare) and the only one of the four both secular and of a manageable size. It has already been translated and published into 125 languages, back to the 1860s and probably a few more unpublished. There is no insult to be read into a desire for a short bit, at least, to be rendered into any/every language. I do question the merits of that particular bit.

Regards, Erik


Sent from my iPhone, please forgive typos and brevity.
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