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Translations of foreign-language books

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  • 21-11-2005 10:22am
    #1
    Love
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭


    I'm studying French and German and have to read a lot of french and german literature for my course. My problem is, that I have a lot of difficulty reading books in another language as I have to translate everything first which is EXTREMELY time-consuming. I want to read the english translations of the books first so that I actually understand what is going on, and then translate the main words I don't know from the text. Unfortunately if I do this without reading the translation first, I haven't a clue what is going on!

    Basically, I was wondering if anyone here would know where I could get free (I'm completely broke!) online translations of french and german literature.

    My course books for French are:

    Huis Clos: Jean Paul-Sartre (already have a translation of this one)
    English title: No Exit

    En Attendant Godot: Samuel Beckett (ditto)
    English title: Waiting For Godot

    Chien de Printemps: Patrick Modiano

    La Place: Annie Ernaux



    My course books for German are:

    Draussen vor der Tür: Wolfgang Borchert (can't find ANYTHING on this, help!)
    English title: The Man Outside

    Der Vorleser: Bernhard Schlink (managed to get the first 3 chapters in english)
    English title: The Reader

    Der Besuch der alten Dame: Dürrenmatt
    English title: The Visit

    Unvollendete Geschichte: Volker Braun

    Geld oder Leben: Birgit Vanderbeke



    Any links for translations/notes on French and German literature, and especially for those titles would be very much appreciated. Thanks.


Comments

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    #2
    John
    Registered Users Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    Try the shop Modern Languages on Westland Row


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    #3
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭simu


    Those French books shouldn't be all that hard to read (don't know about the German ones) and tbh you should have stuck to English literature if you find it hard reading in French and German.

    I doubt you can get free translations for those books as they're all pretty recent but your college library might have the English versions too.


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    #4
    Love
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭Love


    They do, thanks. Only thing is, I'm not allowed remove them from the library!


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    #5
    tSubh Dearg
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 5,555 ✭✭✭tSubh Dearg


    Can you not photocopy them in the library?


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    #6
    gaf1983
    Registered Users Posts: 1,207 ✭✭✭gaf1983


    I'd say any public library would have Waiting for Godot - it's quite short though, so photocopying it might be a better option


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    #7
    BossArky
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,484 Mod ✭✭✭✭BossArky


    I started reading The Grapes of Wrath in french, before ditching it after the first page in favour of waiting for a year before getting hold of an English copy. Unless you are reading something incredibly factual - such as a maths book - you are better off reading in the original language ... as that is the vechicle for the authors message. Translations never get exactly the same vibe across.


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    #8
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭simu


    Well, Beckett actually did his own translations so it's a bit of a special case. Doesn't mean there mightn't be subtle differences between the English and French versions, though!


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    #9
    Blush_01
    Registered Users Posts: 5,016 ✭✭✭Blush_01


    You're really better off reading them in the language they were written in. There are subtlties that you'll miss in a translation... It's hard (try Old and Middle English) but it's more genuine - your own perspective is important.


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