tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post4356402041023326102..comments2024-03-26T03:46:04.937-07:00Comments on Books in Northport: Who is the little prince, who the pilot, the fox, the rose?P. J. Grathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-65430324667673031322022-02-14T06:54:33.686-08:002022-02-14T06:54:33.686-08:00On the subject of translations and word choices, I...On the subject of translations and word choices, I should note my reason for saying Peasy is “toujours dans nos âmes,” rather than “dans nos coeurs,” that is, “in our souls,” rather than “in our hearts.” There was a French pop song a while back — and I can’t recall the title — but it is about an immigrant from South America who makes his home in France and with Western pop music (!), and a line in the song goes, “Dire Straits dans mon Walkman, toujours Gardel dans mon âme." That is my point of reference. P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-62308244233596850642022-02-12T07:43:16.115-08:002022-02-12T07:43:16.115-08:00Jeanie and others -- here is another French-to-Eng...Jeanie and others -- here is another French-to-English quibble, not mine but I agree with it: <br /><br />https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/lost-in-translation-what-the-first-line-of-the-stranger-should-be?source=search_google_dsa_paid&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0p2QBhDvARIsAACSOOMwbXMrpL1-0XXdu6Y3AfTEUS5tud3qkrW-bSMByK4gMxIbnSQ3V3EaApwaEALw_wcB<br /><br />The argument has to do with the first line of THE STRANGER, by Albert Camus. I've written about Camus before: <br /><br />https://booksinnorthport.blogspot.com/2016/02/not-albert-i-recognize-from-writer-to.html<br /><br />He is a writer I admire deeply, not only for his writing but also for standing alone rather than choosing a knee-jerk position on questions of communism and Algeria. Very deep thinker whose ideas have been, I'm happy to say, reevaluated upward in recent years.<br /><br />I also want to recommend, however, THE MERSAULT INVESTIGATION, by Kamel Daoud:<br />https://booksinnorthport.blogspot.com/2016/03/another-outsider.html<br />It is a more recent novel that takes off from THE STRANGER but comes at the murder from the other side. I think Camus, were he alive, would appreciate the fresh perspective. Anyway, I do. It a very important corrective in our world today, in which voices from others besides white male Westerners are being recognized in world literature at last.P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-25548665754649239402022-02-10T07:33:13.203-08:002022-02-10T07:33:13.203-08:00Pas d' quoi!Pas d' quoi!P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-6878259327063735672022-02-09T16:31:42.514-08:002022-02-09T16:31:42.514-08:00Not in the least! You are just being more precise...Not in the least! You are just being more precise, more particular about how you want the translation to go to the English reader. I admire you for aiming high in getting the right word….to ‘waste’ is not about loss. Thanks et Merci ! Jeanie Furlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16294566547596358943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-42115061447456991702022-02-06T17:45:47.609-08:002022-02-06T17:45:47.609-08:00Ah, Jeanie! Peasy was indeed VERY present! I'm...Ah, Jeanie! Peasy was indeed VERY present! I'm trying to think of a word.... 'Challenging' is part of it. I've never worked with a dog as consistently or thoroughly or constantly as I worked with little Pea. And being such a big part of my life, he became a feature of my blog, though he never made a public bookstore appearance. <br /><br />I have a faint memory of sending you THE LITTLE PRINCE in Spanish many years ago when you were living in a Spanish-speaking country, but it's also possible that the book never made it into the mail. I was looking to see how many languages the book has been translated into, and up popped this! Just in time for your New Yorkaise portion of the year, no? <br /><br />https://thelittleprincebroadway.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mzMr4rH_L72J9qcPPlzwMpTfTzec8sxsN6lXc2QdS_n--Gw4sGO6gaAtkzEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds<br /><br />Here are some notes on the Woods translation, opening with the statement that THE LITTLE PRINCE is the most translated secular book in the world!!!<br /><br />https://welovetranslations.com/2021/10/15/whats-the-best-translation-of-the-little-prince/<br /><br />I wasn't really being overly critical, was I?<br />P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-6876199423825996052022-02-06T13:53:40.695-08:002022-02-06T13:53:40.695-08:00The Little Prince, I have never read it and will b...The Little Prince, I have never read it and will buy it the moment I am in Brooklyn, in May we think. Your analogies between your love of Peasy and his love for you and the love in the book, are just so meaningful and lovely. The verb “perdre” in French and “perder”in Portuguese have the same meaning, and I agree that ‘have wasted’ is not quite right, and to lose, ‘have lost’ is what translates much more accurately. Was Peasy with you for just a year? He seemed so…present…and consuming, but in a good and deep way. He wanted love and you were so generous with yours, so he loved you equally right back. I believe very few people would think you wasted your time with beautiful Peasy. Deep and wide is his memory, and how good is that! Jeanie Furlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16294566547596358943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-65219851341462741072022-02-05T13:42:03.220-08:002022-02-05T13:42:03.220-08:00And Deborah, I know you loved him, too, and saw hi...And Deborah, I know you loved him, too, and saw his essence, even though he bit you! Love you, sister!P. J. Grathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12693462910472164289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4130421352415377273.post-33843254195587593632022-02-05T13:01:51.862-08:002022-02-05T13:01:51.862-08:00Peasy will always be in your hearts and you both a...Peasy will always be in your hearts and you both are far richer for having loved him and having him love you in return. And yes, I'm afraid there will always be sadness because he is no longer with you but hopefully the sadness will diminish as time marches on.<br />Deborahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02101133608076884449noreply@blogger.com