Posted by Peter Dowden on October 14, 1997 at 06:10:18:
This article has provoked some very lively discussion about translation
and use of alphabets in writing Japanese. Many thanks to all those who
gave me help and advice. Here is the revised edition of my article about
re-translating the Japanese titles.
Pockut wrote:
Now some members of ARC are thinking about the difference between the
English tiltles of the books and the Japanese ones.
It's very difficult. But maybe we can enjoy the books in two ways.
It makes fresh impressions on me to look at the books from different
angles.
I have also found this task very interesting. I feel as if I have
observed Ransome's land from the top of Fuji-san now instead of only
seeing it from the top of Hampstead Heath!
I have also used the circumflex accent, as I have now learned, this is
the custom when a macron is not available. Thanks to Tea Bay-san for this
data, from his bibliography page:
Bibliography
of Japanese Ransome works
Re-translation of Japanese Ransome titles
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-gô to Amazon-gô
Swallows and Amazons
Swallow and Amazon
The suffix "-gô" 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-gô No B6ocirc;ken
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. Ôban-kurabu No Muh6ocirc;mono
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-gô 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! Arthur Ransome was
disappointed with the English title [see Signalling from Mars, his
collected Letters]; he wanted to call it "High Topps".
7. Umi e 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". [see
Signalling from Mars]
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-gô 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-gô 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).
I cannot decide what Arthur Ransome had in mind with the original name,
Sea Bear for the ship. "Sea Bear" is not a normal name for a Polar
Bear, although these are the only bears I can think of that are
associated with the sea and also they are close to the Nordic origins of
Mac's pilot ship, as described in the story. Other interpretations of
"sea bear" can be a seal, or even an old sailor. I think the most likely
origin of the name is the prototype of the fictional ship, Erling Tambs's
Teddy as depicted in the book The Cruise of the Teddy.
Ransome seemed to admire the Teddy and her skipper, and he wrote
the introduction for tambs's book.
Arthur Ransome No Roshia Mukashi Banashi
The War of the Birds and Beasts and Other Russian Tales
Arthur Ransome's Old Russian Tales
Peter Ojiisan No Mukashi Banashi
Old Peter's Russian Tales
Grandfather Peter's Old Tales