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View Full Version : E.T.A. Hoffmann and translation question


Vasha
01-05-2008, 06:25 PM
Greetings to the forum members.

I have recently developed an enthusiasm for E.T.A. Hoffmann, whom I have read in German (rather difficult) and French. It would be interesting to discuss some of the stories. Some of the stories I found most compelling were "A New Year's Eve Adventure", "The Mesmerist", "The Deserted House", "The Sandman", "The Entail", "Councillor Krespel", "The Nutcracker", "Mademoiselle de Scudéry", and "Gambler's Luck", without slighting stories I haven't mentioned.

However, I would like to give someone an English-language translation, and I wonder if you folks have an opinion on a decent translation to choose. Besides being hard to find, the ones I have glanced at often seem stilted.
SleepyWitch
01-06-2008, 05:37 AM
Greetings to the forum members.

I have recently developed an enthusiasm for E.T.A. Hoffmann, whom I have read in German (rather difficult) and French. It would be interesting to discuss some of the stories. Some of the stories I found most compelling were "A New Year's Eve Adventure", "The Mesmerist", "The Deserted House", "The Sandman", "The Entail", "Councillor Krespel", "The Nutcracker", "Mademoiselle de Scudéry", and "Gambler's Luck", without slighting stories I haven't mentioned.

However, I would like to give someone an English-language translation, and I wonder if you folks have an opinion on a decent translation to choose. Besides being hard to find, the ones I have glanced at often seem stilted.

Hi Vasha, congrats on reading E.T.A. Hoffmann in German :thumbs_up
I don't know any good translations, but if I remember correctly Mademoiselle de Scudéry is awfully stilted in German (German is my mother tongue). I read it in highschool, about 10 years ago, so I don't actually remember anything about it. the only thing I do remember is that it was so stilted that I could hardly follow the plot because I found the language so confusing. so if the translation is stilted, maybe there's nothing wrong with it? How did you find the French translations? were they less stilted?