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Re: Hector Servadac

From: Garmt de Vries-Uiterweerd <g.devries~at~phys.uu.nl>
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:44:35 +0200
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

I just ordered Adam Roberts' updated translation along with the novel
"Splinter". When it arrives, I'll have a look at it to see how accurate it
is.

Cheers,
Garmt.

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:34:55 +0200, Arthur B. Evans <aevans2~at~tds.net>
wrote:

> Dear Vernian friends,
>
> If a new and accurate English translation of HECTOR SERVADAC were
> available, then I am certain that Wesleyan University Press would be
> interested in publishing it.
>
> Amitiés,
> Art
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jan Rychlík" <jan.rychlik~at~seznam.cz>
> To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 2:47 AM
> Subject: Re: Hector Servadac
>
>
>> Dear Brian,
>> it is really sad. I've thought that university presses would be more
>> interested in quality than political corectness.
>> Still, it is great that they publish Verne in general. In our country,
>> they do not publish fiction at all and Verne surely won't be considered
>> writer of that value to be published by a university press.
>> Sincerely
>> Jan
>>
>>> 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 judí
>>> o."
>>> > > > >
>>> > > > > 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, Ã 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 - 15:44:46 IDT

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