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Re: Hector Servadac

From: Brian Taves <btav~at~loc.gov>
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:57:37 -0400 (EDT)
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

Dear Jan, I agree with you "that the novel is too good to be put aside."
Yet, generally speaking, university presses are most apt to be concerned
over issues of stereotypes and the charge of perpetuating them. A small
sf classic press, such as Wildside, could care less about translations or
accuracy thereof, or updated-annotated editions, and political
correctness. Which sadly leaves Servadac rather stranded again. I only
hope someone will have the gravitas to spin a new orbit for the novel!
As one of Verne's most undated "sf" stories, it has potential to intrigue
a wider range of genre readers than all but his best-known works. Brian

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007, [iso-8859-2] Jan Rychlík wrote:

> Dear Brian,
>
> In consideration of the fact, that the posthumous novels are now being
> published by university press(es), I can't see any reason why a
> commented and edited new translation couldn't appear. On the other
> side, a translation softening Verne's antisemitism (if it's possible)
> would be viable as well, don't you think. I am convinced that the
> novel is too good to be put aside.
>
> The most recent Czech translation comes from 1956, when the Communist
> regime was increasingly antisemitic, and it was republished in 1970s,
> when the old Stalinists were again in power in consequence of the
> occupation of our country in 1968. The same translation appeared again
> in 1990s and I wonder it was somehow modified (but I will try to check
> it).
>
> Sincerely
>
> Jan
>
> > All of the discussion to me raises the question, is anyone going to tackle
> > a new English translation of this novel? Especially considering Verne's
> > original ending could be included as an appendix. Or do the anti-semitic
> > elements simply preclude a modern version?
> >
> >
> > Brian Taves
> > Motion Picture/Broadcasting/Recorded Sound Division
> > Library of Congress
> > Email: btav~at~loc.gov
> >
> > Disclaimer--All opinions expressed are my own.
> >
> > On Mon, 10 Sep 2007, [iso-8859-2] Jan Rychlík wrote:
> >
> > > So does the first Czech translation (1882).
> > >
> > > > Early Spanish translations follow Magasin:
> > > >
> > > > "...il faut convenir qu'elle est assez mal représentée par ce juif!"
> > > >
> > > > "aunque Alemania esté muy mal representada por este judío."
> > > >
> > > > And it goes:
> > > >
> > > > "-No, señor; no lo creo así -respondió el capitán Servadac-, sino que,
> > por el
> > > > contrario, está representada con propiedad."
> > > >
> > > > which differs from the book:
> > > >
> > > > "- Ne nous montrons pas trop difficiles!» répondit le capitaine
> > Servadac."
> > > >
> > > > Best regards,
> > > >
> > > > Christian Sánchez
> > > > chvsanchez~at~arnet.com.ar
> > > > Rosario, Argentina
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ----- Mensaje original -----
> > > > De: "Jean-Paul TOMASI" <jean-paul.tomasi~at~uclouvain.be>
> > > > Para: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
> > > > Enviado: miércoles, 5 de septiembre de 2007 10:33
> > > > Asunto: Re: Hector Servadac
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Pour clarifier le débat, il ne me paraît pas inutile de préciser que :
> > > > >
> > > > > La version (dite préoriginale) du Magasin d'Education et de récréation
> > est
> > > > > la suivante :
> > > > > "...il faut convenir qu'elle est assez mal représentée par ce juif!"
> > > > >
> > > > > alors que la version (dite originale) de la Bibliothèque d'education et
> > de
> > > > > récréation est :
> > > > > "...il faut convenir qu'elle est assez mal représentée par ce
> > renégat!"
> > > > >
> > > > > J.-P. Tomasi
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Dear Jan,
> > > > > > I am sorry to disagree with you about the Frewer's translation of the
> > > > > > French word "renégat" into "miserable Jew". To my knowledge, there
> > is,
> > > > > > in French, absolutely no relation between the two words "renégat"
> > and
> > > > > > "Juif" (Jew). The Frewer's translation adds a racist connotation that
> > > > > > did not exist in the text of JV (in this sentence of course).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Amitiés,
> > > > > > Jean-Pierre
> > > > > >
> > > > > > A ma connaissancz
> > > > > > Le mercredi, 5 sep 2007, à 10:07 Europe/Paris, Jan Rychlík a
> > écrit :
> > > > > >
> > > > > >> Dear Norm,
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> I think it should be noted that Munro translation is probably based on
> > > > > >> the Magasin version of the novel. See Vol. 1, end chpt. 18:
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Munro translation:
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> "In fact, captain," replied Count Timascheff, "there are, on this
> > > > > >> fragment of our old globe, the nations of France, Russia, Italy.
> > > > > >> Spain, England, and Germany. As for the last, it must be allowed that
> > > > > >> she is very badly represented by this Jew."
> > > > > >> " No, I do not think so," replied Captain Servadac.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Ellen Frewer's translation:
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> â?oTrue, captain,â? answered the count; â?owe have only a fragment
> > of a
> > > > > >> world, but it contains natives of France, Russia, Italy, Spain, and
> > > > > >> England. Even Germany may be said to have a representative in the
> > > > > >> person of this miserable Jew.�
> > > > > >> â?oAnd even in him,â? said Servadac, â?operhaps we shall not find
> > so
> > > > > >> indifferent a representative as we at present imagine.�
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> conform to the French book version:
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> â?" En effet, capitaine, répondit le comte Timascheff, il y a, sur
> > ce
> > > > > >> fragment de notre ancien globe, des nationaux de France, de Russie,
> > > > > >> dâ?TItalie, dâ?TEspagne, dâ?TAngleterre, dâ?TAllemagne. Quant Ã
> > > > > >> celle-ci, il
> > > > > >> faut convenir quâ?Telle est assez mal représentée par ce
> > renégat!
> > > > > >> â?" Ne nous montrons pas trop difficiles!» répondit le
> > capitaine
> > > > > >> Servadac.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Sincerely
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Jan
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>> ------------ Původní zpráva ------------
> > > > > >>> Od: Norm Wolcott <nwolcott2ster~at~gmail.com>
> > > > > >>> PÅTedmÄ>t: Hector Servadac
> > > > > >>> Datum: 04.9.2007 22:12:51
> > > > > >>> ----------------------------------------
> > > > > >>> By now I am sure everyone has looked at the Munro version of Hector
> > > > > >>> Servadac on the Library of Congress web site. However, the magazine
> > is
> > > > > >>> a little difficult to read online, and so I have posted a preliminary
> > > > > >>> version of chapters 1-5 on ibiblio at
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/sherwood/Servadac_001-005.htm
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> As is known the Sampson Low translation by Ellen Frewer , although it
> > > > > >>> follows the story line faithfully, is defective in that it
> > paraphrases
> > > > > >>> much of the action and conversations, and much of the detail is lost.
> > > > > >>> In addition she seems almost to be trying to explain the story to the
> > > > > >>> English readers as if afraid they will not get the point at all if
> > > > > >>> translated literally. That may be true. We do not have to venture
> > very
> > > > > >>> far into the novel to see how much of the original flavor has been
> > > > > >>> lost in the Frewer version. Miss Frewer has also softened down much
> > of
> > > > > >>> Verne's descriptions of Isaac Hakhabut perhaps noting a little
> > > > > >>> overkill.
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> The Munro translation about which I shall have more to say later is
> > > > > >>> much more of a literal translation giving us the unvarnished Verne.
> > > > > >>> Unfortunately there is much error in the typography requiring much
> > > > > >>> editorial redaction, in addition to the normal OCR difficulties and
> > > > > >>> spelling variations from page to page.
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> One interesting feature of the Seaside Library edition is the
> > > > > >>> confusion of "u" with "n". These two letters are identical
> > > > > >>> typographically, but there are notches indicating the top and bottom.
> > > > > >>> It appears that after typesetting a junior or apprentice distributed
> > > > > >>> the type into the type boxes, carelessly confusing several "u"
> > > > > >>> 'sand"n" 's. There was obviously not much opportunity for proof
> > > > > >>> reading in this high speed operation.
> > > > > >>>
Received on Wed 12 Sep 2007 - 01:57:51 IDT

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