From: Fred Henry <fhenry>
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 1998 22:46:00 -0600

On the question of the "voice" in translations: I have read some of Hans Christian Andersen's stories in Danish, and it is a different experience. I never liked the "Match Girl" story in English - it was too maudlin for my taste. In Danish, however, I found it elegant, dignified, and moving.
"Princess in the Pea" was much funnier in Danish (if you acknowledge the existence of Scandinavian humor). "The Little Prince" is wonderful in any language, but some bits are better in French. I think there is something in a language that reflects and expresses the ethnic personality of the people who use it. It can't always be perfectly expressed in another language. But it is worth the effort, and I admire people with the ability, and the publishers who hire them. Given the choice, I would prefer translations to stick as close to the foreign voice as possible, consistent with literate English. Kyoko Mori's "Shizuko's Daughter" is the best of both worlds - a foreign voice expressed in our language. On the question of booktalking translations: I will booktalk "North to Freedom" (Holm, Danish) to anyone, anytime. Also "Friedrich" (Richter, German). I don't normally make an issue of the translation, but Andersen's birthday is a good day to push the Batchelders.

Jean Ducat, librarian Woodlands School Milwaukee
Received on Sat 07 Mar 1998 10:46:00 PM CST