Exceptional translators who translate into English

[CognitiveArtist]

Considering that the experience of a non-English book or author often hinges upon translation I was wondering how many exceptional translators there are, which reliably frame the experience of a particular language.
Two translators of this kind which have really helped me enjoy other languages are William Weaver (for Italian) and Robert Fagles (for Ancient Greek). Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky are a pair of Russian translators whose translations I haven't read, but I understand them to be the best assistants to English readers who want to appreciate Russian works.


I'm only a monoglot, so it would be nice to hear from people capable in the translated languages that have been read. Thanks

[jgweed]

Constance Garnett for Doestoevski
Lowe-Porter for Mann
Kaufman for Nietzsche
Barnes for Sartre

[KyleBennett]

Yeah this is an interesting question! I'm currently reading Anna Karenin translated by Rosemary Edmonds. Does this translation perfectly reflect the same experience of reading that it gives in Russian? I am as well a Monoglot, but my girlfriend is a polyglot, speaking both Swedish and English, and she often points out errors in translation between the two langauges both in feeling and in meaning.

However please don't tell me that Edmonds' Karenin is a bad translation- i've already read 769 pages, and am nearly finished. :-P

[johann cruyff]

Constance Garnett for Doestoevski
Lowe-Porter for Mann
Kaufman for Nietzsche
Barnes for Sartre

I was under the impression that Constance Garnett's translation of The Brothers Karamazov was considered to be one of the worst?

[Dori]

I was under the impression that Constance Garnett's translation of The Brothers Karamazov was considered to be one of the worst?

See this thread: http://www.online-literature.com/for...stance+Garnett

[Nightshade]

I was actually just thinking about this as I'm currently reading Sophie's world and there is definitely something off in the translation, I just cant pin it down and its annoying me. like the inevitable question is the language deliberately so simple because Sophie is 14, or is it an after affect of translation. and the 'there is no need to carry coals to Newcastle" is that a Norwegian saying? or did the translator pull it out of a hat?

[Dori]

I was rushed in my last reply (I had to keep it secret from my microcomputer applications teacher's watchful eye ). Personally, I think Charles E. Wilbur (I think that's the name) translated Les Miserables pretty well, or at least I thought the product was exceptional. He's the only other translator that I could think of, with the exception of Garnett.

I was under the impression that Constance Garnett's translation of The Brothers Karamazov was considered to be one of the worst?

To elaborate on this point: though I haven't read TBK fully, I did at least read the chapter entitled "The Grand Inquisitor." And though I haven't read other translations, I thought it was excellent. See the link in my above post for more info.

[Erichtho]

I was actually just thinking about this as I'm currently reading Sophie's world and there is definitely something off in the translation, I just cant pin it down and its annoying me. like the inevitable question is the language deliberately so simple because Sophie is 14, or is it an after affect of translation. and the 'there is no need to carry coals to Newcastle" is that a Norwegian saying? or did the translator pull it out of a hat?

The "there is no need to carry coals to Newcastle" is an English saying, but as it is with many sayings probably only regionally spread. It simply describes a pointless action and is definitely not a mistake of the translator.
And Jostein Gaarder always writes very simple, since his writings are aimed at an audience mainly consisting of young adults.

[John Goodman]

Robin Buss for French, although he has a relatively limited library.

[johann cruyff]

See this thread: http://www.online-literature.com/for...stance+Garnett

I already knew about that thread,though I haven't visited it in a while. Anyway,I only said I was under the impression that this translation was considered bad in comparison to others based on what I heard from other people,not just in this forum. I didn't read it,I read the book translated to Bosnian,btw.

[CognitiveArtist]

I read (although didn't complete) Lowe-Porter's translation of Mann's Magic Mountain, and I wasn't enamored with the text. I can't exclude the possibility that I just didn't take to Mann, but whilst reading I felt a suspicion that a more majestic narrative lay behind the specific words which were translated before me. Is Lowe-Porter 'the' Mann authority? The exceptional renderer of his works? I'm now aware of John E. Woods, who is an acclaimed contemporary translator of Mann. I wonder whether I should of obtained the newer translation instead of Lowe-Porter's translation.

Also, are Larissa Volokhonsky and Richard Pevear standout Russian translators? I have a paranoia that if I just pursue the newest translations I'll overlook older, more respecting translations

*sigh* there is a discomfort knowing you're removed or distanced from the literature you read

[Inderjit Sanghe]

Constance Garnett's translations were frequently derided and ridiculed by Nabokov, whose Russian and English are far better than Garnett's.
I don't speak, read or write Russian so I couldn't really comment.

[Dori]

Constance Garnett's translations were frequently derided and ridiculed by Nabokov, whose Russian and English are far better than Garnett's.
I don't speak, read or write Russian so I couldn't really comment.

Everyone has their opinions . . .

[patrickbeverley]

I'm currently reading Constance Garnett's War and Peace, which I bought even though I already own the more widely-regarded L. and A. Maude translation, because I prefer Garnett. That said, I must confess to occasionally double-checking a paragraph with the Maude translation, because clarity is not Garnett's main concern, and she confuses at times.

Ralph Manheim, who translates German—English, is very good. Somebody (I forget who) commented, "So many of my favourite books are translated by Ralph Manheim that I am beginning to suspect Ralph Manheim is actually my favourite writer". His translation of Gunter Grass's The Tin Drum is particularly worth a look.

On a side note, does anyone have a particular favourite translation of Dante's Divine Comedy? (I'm with H. W. Longfellow.)

[JBI]

Anyone know a good Goethe translator, for his poems and Faust Parts 1 and 2? The copies I have seem either trying to keep metre too desperately, or trying to keep diction as close to the original.