Jules Verne Forum

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Re: The translation problem

From: Brian Taves <btav~at~loc.gov>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 19:14:29 -0500 (EST)
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~math.technion.ac.il>

On Sat, 5 Feb 2000, Leigh T Hanlon wrote:

> I'm curious as to whether there was any contemporaneous criticism of these
> censored translations at the time of their initial English publication. I'm
> wondering specifically:
>
> (1) Wasn't there anybody in England or the United States who realized how
> bad many of these translations were?
>
> (2) Surely some bilingual readers had been exposed to both the originals and
> the translations and realized many of the English versions they were reading
> were crap.

There was crticism of the translations at the time--as my colleague Steve
Michaluk discovered in uncovering many contemporary reviews in researching
trade journals and the like for *The Jules Verne Encyclopedia* (many of
which are cited or reprinted there)--but there was no consistent approach
on the part of critics to the problem, as they reviewed a single book or
at most a few at a time. The translations were often deplored, but
without a strong recognition of Verne as a literary, and not merely
popular author, this seemed a matter of secondary importance.

> (3) Didn't Jules Verne and his publishers object to these bad translations?
> Didn't they consider doing their own translation?
>
> (4) Or did Verne simply view these translations as secondary markets and
> found money?

Considering the number of pirated Verne translations, he could only be
glad for those which were authorized, no matter the translation quality.

> (5) Finally, why didn't an English author emerge and create original
> science-fiction works that would meet the political and social requirements
> that resulted in so much butchering of Verne novels? H.G. Wells wrote some
> interesting stuff, but wasn't in the same true science-fiction league.
> (Didn't Verne, in later years, criticize the concept of cavorite?)

You can see all of Verne's interviews, including his comments on Wells, in
Daniel Compere and Jean-Michel Margot, Entretiens avec Jules Verne,
Slatkine 1999.

Brian Taves
110 D Street, S.E. #515
Washington, D.C. 20003-1815
202-675-4525 (h)
202-707-9930 (w)
202-707-2371 (work fax)
email: <btav~at~loc.gov>


Disclaimer--All opinions expressed are my own.
Received on Tue 08 Feb 2000 - 02:14:45 IST

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