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Old 10-23-2009, 12:23 AM   #5
KevinDonae

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Oct 2005
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347
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I liked Sebald's book better than Kis's, not because of it's subject matter but because of the way it was written.

With regards to work in translation, my choices vary. German, Dutch or Nordic and maybe Russian and Japanese languages I prefer to read in English, whereas Portuguese, Hungarian and Romanian I would prefer to read in Spanish. Having said that, however, it also depends on the reference I have about the specific translator. Writers like Grass and Bernhard, for instance, have an award winning Spanish translator in Miguel S?enz. But for Sebald I wouldn't miss Hulse's translation. Hulse is himself an award winning poet so he is bound to write beautiful prose. Another thing: I try to avoid 'second degree' translations, as so often happens with some Japanese literature in Spanish. For Kawabata and Murakami I'd go for English versions. Murakami is known to work closely with his three English translators. Kawabata also had a great English translator, Edward Seidensticker, who lived in Japan for many years. Seidensticker was even mentioned by the Nobel Academy as having greatly contributed to Kawabata's cause for the award. On the other hand, Kenzaburo O? has very good translators into Spanish. I could keep going about translations but this is not the proper thread. I hope this addresses your question.
Very interesting and wise methods you use. You seem to know a lot about translations and translators. I guess you'll be my guide in my serveral doubts wether if a translations seems to be good or not. Some texts don't even say if they are direct translations or not, so this is a problem.

From what I've heard Hungarian literature runs away close from Germanic literary circles, so the only doubt I had from your comments is why read Hungarians in Spanish? I think It'd be easier in English.
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