Translation - art & business » Literature / Poetry »
Foreignisation - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Thread poster: babylona
babylona
babylona
Local time: 11:53
Spanish to English
Aug 19, 2014

Hi,

Does anyone know of any novels by Gabriel Garcia Marquez which have been translated using the foreignisation method?

I know that Edith Grossman has translated many of his works but I cannot find any evidence to support the foreignsation.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks
 
urbom
urbom
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:53
German to English
+ ...
Reason for question? Aug 19, 2014

Is this for an essay/thesis/dissertation?

(It's not a problem if it is -- I just want to give an answer that's relevant to your needs.)


[Edited at 2014-08-19 16:36 GMT]
 
babylona
babylona
Local time: 11:53
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER
essay Aug 19, 2014

The question is for an essay.

I may have found an answer. I think 'Strange Pilgrims' by Garcia Marquez, translated by Edith Grossman may be an example of foreignisation but not sure. Need an article or review or something.
 
urbom
urbom
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:53
German to English
+ ...
Beware of attributing motives to translators without justification Aug 20, 2014

I would be very wary of claiming that Edith Grossman, or indeed any other translator, used any particular theoretical 'method' when translating. You might well find a few examples in a book-length translation that could be called 'foreignization', but what about the rest of the translation not included in your examples? What 'method' or 'theory' would explain the rest of it?

In fact, Grossman has made statements like these in interviews:
I have read very little theory of translation. I never can figure out what the theoreticians are talking about.

and
Do you believe in a theory of translation?

EG: I find some theories very interesting while others don't make much sense to me. When I began to teach the workshops, I realized that general rules cannot be applied in an invariable way. I think that solutions to the most interesting problems in translation ultimately depend on the translator's intuition. For example, if part of the meaning is likely to disappear in the translation, there are times when I prefer to add a few words that may not exist in the original in order to convey the full idea.


By the way, I found those interviews by googling for the combination edith grossman translation theory interview. If you do the same search, you'll find the two interviews I quoted above plus many more.

I also recommend reading Edith Grossman's book Why Translation Matters (Yale University Press, 2010) to find out more about her own views on her working methods.

Gregory Rabassa is another prominent translator of García Márquez's works into English. His memoir is entitled If This Be Treason: Translation and Its Dyscontents (New Directions, 2005). In it he discusses how he translates, and he devotes a section to each of the authors whose works he has translated, including García Márquez.

Two more recommendations for discussions of the relevance (or lack thereof) of translation theory to the work of translators:
1) Boase-Beier, J. "Is Translation Theory of Any Practical Use?" In Other Words 41 (Summer 2013): 76-78.
If you cannot find that journal in your university's library, you could try contacting the publisher, the British Centre for Literary Translation at www.bclt.org.uk/publications/in-other-words/.
2) Chesterman, A. and Wagner, E. Can Theory Help Translators? St. Jerome Publishing, 2002.
 
babylona
babylona
Local time: 11:53
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Aug 20, 2014

Many thanks, you have been very helpful indeed.

I don't know why I didn't think to key in 'Edith Grossman theory interviews'.

Anyway, I found a novel by Mayra Montero, The Red of His Shadow, which Grossman translated. I believe the novel contains a lot of foreignisation.

Cheers.
 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
NancyLynn[Call to this topic]
Maria Castro[Call to this topic]
Fernanda Rocha[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Foreignisation - Gabriel Garcia Marquez







Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »
Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »