[Sca-cooks] Language Confusion

[Susan Fox-Davis]

Gorgeous Muiredach wrote:

> >it is my understanding that any English translation of
> >the period French classic Heptameron is by its nature flawed because of the
> >internal sound alike/double meanings inherent in the original French which
> >defy effective translation.
>
> This would be true of any text heavily using puns or "jeux de mots" (play
> on words).  I'd hate to have to translate Spider Robinson into French. :-)

You wouldn't have to.  Spider is a decent translator himself.  See "Our Lady's
Juggler" in his classic anthology "The Best Of All Possible Worlds."

On the other hand, it's certainly possible to translate a work with
language-specific wordplay, it just takes more work.  There are decent
translations of the Asterix comics, and where the exact pun won't make sense in
the other language, the translators substitute ones that will.

> >   Sadly I've never learned to read or speak French.
>
> Il n'est jamais trop tard pour commencer :-)  Never too late to start.

I took French in school because [true story] the high school counselor convinced
us that the University of California system would not accept Spanish as a
foreign language.  Aaarrrrgh!  Never mind that this was a complete fabrication,
and that I could have gotten a network job right out of college if I'd been
fluent in Spanish in Los Angeles.  Oh well, at least I can read Asterix comics
and posh menus.

Selene, Caid