Posted by Peter on September 30, 1997 at 05:21:43:
When the Ransome saga was translated into Japanese, some changes were made to the titles. It is interseting to translate these back into English again. This was done at least once before, in an article in Mixed Moss, but I would like to propose the following alternative re-translations.
I have enjoyed trying to read the Japanese books, and it is a nice way of appreciating the beauty of the stories to see them realised in a different language. It is the same with the titles, the Japanese title can give a new way to look at the same story, and thus a new way to appreciate it.
Here is my list, first the Japanese title, then the original English, then (in Bold)my translation of the Japanese into English:
1. Tsubame-go To Amazon-go
Swallows and Amazons
Swallow and Amazon
The suffix "-go" in Japanese is added on to the name of a ship, like the prefix "SS" or "HMS" in English. So the title names the two ships, Swallow and Amazon rather than, as in English, the two crews, the Swallows, or Walker family, and the Amazons, or Blacketts.
2. Tsubame No Tani
Swallowdale
Swallowdale
"Tsubame no Tani" means "Valley of the Swallow" which is of course, what "Swallowdale" means. So I think it should be translated back to the same title.
3. Yamaneko-go No Boken
Peter Duck
The Adventure of the Wild Cat
The Japanese means "Wild Cat's Adventure[s]
Here it is tricky to re-translate because Japanese nouns give no indication of singular/plural or definite/indefinite. So this could be "Some adventures of Wild Cat" if you wanted to be clever. I have decided to give it a definite sense. I put "Adventure" as singular since Missee Lee is another adventure.
4. Nagai Fuyuyasumi
Winter Holiday
The Long Winter Holiday
A slightly more attractive title, I think.
5. Oban-kurabu No Muhomono
Coot Club
The Outlaw of the Coot Club
This has been re-translated as "Coot Club's Outlaw" but I wanted to follow the style of Dorothea's novel, "The Outlaw of the Broads".
6. Tsubame-gou No Denshobato
Pigeon Post
Swallow's Homing-pigeons
This is the most disappointing of the Japanese titles, since Swallow doesn't even appear in the story!
7. Umini Deru Tsumorijanakatta
We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea
We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea
An exact translation.
8. Himitsu No Umi
Secret Water
Secret Water
Although the literal re-translation is "Secret Sea" this is only because the Japanese word for water has such a specific meaning.
9. Rokunin No Tanteitachi
The Big Six
Six Detectives
A better title than the English, I think. "The Big Six" was based on a rather silly off-hand remark and seems weak to me. I am glad to learn [in Signalling from Mars] that Arthur Ransome didn't like the title either, and wanted to call it "The Death and Glories".
10. Onnakaizoku No Shima
Missee Lee
The Islands of the Female Pirate
This is a terrific title, and more promising than the title "Missee Lee".
11. Sukarabu-go No Natsuyasumi
The Picts and the Martyrs
Scarab's Summer Holiday
A pleasant title, but it seems too relaxing compared to the stressful scenes around beckfoot. You can't judge a book by its cover.
12. Shirokuma-go To Nazono Tori
Great Northern?
Polar Bear and the Mysterious Birds
The literal translation of Shirokuma as "White Bear" is wrong, it means "Polar Bear". It is a nice name for a ship, and I think it is the only ship in the saga whose name has been changed from the original (which is Sea Bear).
Arthur Ransome No Roshia Mukashi Banashi
The War of the Birds and Beasts and Other Russian Tales
Arthur Ransome's Russian Fairy Tales
Peter Ojiisan No Mukashi Banashi
Old Peter's Russian Tales
Grandfather Peter's Fairy Tales
PS
The Japanese here lacks the macrons which denote the long vowels. I dont like the alternative, of double vowels [like Tookyoo or Toukyou versus Tokyo].