Random thought that occurred to me earlier today - I’d love it if books sold in translation included a way to read the original text as well. In physical print obviously this is a layout challenge - and doubles the likely size of the work.
But digitally imagine if every book sold had an option to see the original text. Perhaps with a variety of formatting options (including the correct pagination for works where that matters
I think manga have at times had this. Or something like it.
@Rycaut It has been done. But you'd see how widely off the translation is. So it's not in the interest of the publisher. 🙂
Last year, I tried this with one of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry books, reading original and translation side by side. Flight to Arras. (Pilote de guerre).
I was shocked. I couldn't get beyond a couple of pages. I looked for a better or more true-to-the-original translation, but the Foundation Saint-Exupéry has never approved a second translation.
To wit: 1/2
@Rycaut La nuit bien-aimée. La nuit, la raison dort, et simplement les choses sont. Celles qui importent véritablement reprennent leur forme, survivent aux destructions des analyses du jour. L'homme renoue ses morceaux et redevient arbre calme.
Night, the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree.
?!
Shannon Clark
Daniel AJ Sokolov