Translating Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time into English
Who I am
I am an American freelance translator and writer who has lived in France for the past 15 years. One of the things that led me to France originally was French literature, and, among others, Proust. I first read Proust in English, in the early 1980s, and when I came to France in 1984, the first French book I bought was the Pleiade edition (at the time, the 3 vol. edition). It took me about a year to read in French, and I consider it one of the things that helped me master the French language.
As a translator, I do mostly computer and marketing texts, but also do some literary translation.
Literary translation is, for me, the epitome of translation. It is what I truly enjoy. I have therefore decided to embark on an English translation of Proust. I will try to do a few paragraphs a day.
Why I am Doing this
If one translates, it is certainly a good idea to aspire to translate the greatest works available. In the same manner, if I were to learn to play a keyboard instrument one day, I would naturally want to play Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Translating this kind of work, a short bit each day, is like practicing scales. It confronts me with translation of a Great Work, on a daily basis, and forces me to make the decisions and choices that this requires.
Also, I have found that the best way to truly explore a text is to translate it. The translator has to understand ever word, every phrase, and feel deeply every choice of words the writer has made. By translating a text, you can become one with it.
Perhaps, eventually, if I ever do get to the end, it might get published. Every generation needs its own translation of the great works, and perhaps, in about 20 years, when I have finished, it will be the right time for a new translation.
Types of Texts
There are three types of texts that will be posted here:
Draft translations: The texts on this page are truly drafts, where French words have been replaced by English words, style has been examined briefly, but many questions remain. Some of these will be indicated by ???, meaning that I have doubts about a word or passage. It will be heavily edited at a later time.
Tentative translations: these are texts that have been drafted, reread, and closely edited. There is still room for more stylistic changes.
Final translations: these are texts that are about as finished as they ever will be, with, naturally, the possibility that minor changes will be made at the end.
Text Used
I have used the 1954 Pleiade edition of La Recherche du temps perdu, because it is in the public domain.
Principles of Translation
I am basing my translation on the following principles, which I believe to apply to all literary translations:
Be faithful to the original text.
Literal translation is the basic translation technique, and is overruled for stylistic reasons only.
The basic unit of translation is the clause.
The order of given and new information should be respected whenever possible.
Word order should be respected whenever possible.
When sentence length is a result of stylistic choices, it must be respected.
When punctuation is a result of stylistic choices, it must be respected.
Lexical register is to be strictly respected, except when idiom or collocation overrules it.
Parts of speech may be changed when required.
Style overrules literal translation whenever necessary.
When translating dialogue, find voices for the characters.
In dialogue, the character's voice determines the translation.
Above all, find the author's voice, and stick to it.
The voice takes precedence over everything else whenever necessary.
Comments
Any comments you might have on this translation would be greatly appreciated. Just send me an e-mail.