Posted by joffre on 20/4/2008, 23:57:36
70.157.19.15
Who is going to reimburse me for all these inferior translations I have to replace?
It seems I have a really bad one this time. I finished that Master and Margarita series this evening. I really enjoyed it. I plan to reread the novel sometime soon, but it seems I'll have to buy another translation. I have the Ginsburg translation which is missing 23,000 words. I first read the book for a class at my university and I bought it in the textbook store. The professor should have had them get a complete translation, but why was this one even in print still? It's from 1967. It was discovered that same year that it was from a censored soviet text. Another translation, this one complete, came out that same year. By the time I got mine, there were three complete translations. If it were only that the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation was supposed to be better than mine, I wouldn't bother about it. In fact, I won't even get the PV translation, but for 23,000 words, I will get a new one.
I have really not replaced that many. Because of what Steven said of it, I did get the PV translation of Crime and Punishment. I haven't read it yet. I don't intend to bother about replacing my other Dostoievski novels. Several years ago, I replaced my Madame Bovary with the Steegmuller translation which seems to be much preferred. I also replaced my copy of The Trial by Kafka. I'm not going to buy new editions unless there seems to be a pretty good reason.
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