[Wikipedia-l] anglicization is stupid

[Ray Saintonge]

Anthere wrote:

>--- Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
>
>>Whether the title of Camus's novel 
>>"L'Étranger" should be the literal "The Stranger"
>>or the metaphorical 
>>"The Outsider" is a matter of literary debate that
>>is well beyond the 
>>scope of this encyclopaedia.  Using the original
>>title for the main 
>>entry avoids that problem completely.
>>
>Beyond the scope of the encyclopédie Eclecticology,
>translation of "l'étranger" in "the stranger" would be
>a disastrous one.
>Just as, if I ever write an entry for "stranger in a
>strange land" (un péché personnel), I will keep the
>real english title and not try to translate it. ;-))
>
The fact is that both titles have been used for different translations 
of "L'Étranger".

The Heinlein novel has been published in French as "En terre étrangère", 
but that's wimpy, does not seem to do it justice, and could be 
translated back as "In a Foreign Land".  It's certainly different from 
"En pays étrange" :-)   I could have fantastic mischief with your example.

Here in English Canada we have a very popular comedy group, "The Royal 
Canadian Air Farce" that at times do skits based on mistranslations. 
 Some of these have been hilarious and have depended on really twisted 
translations of speeches by politicians.  If I can find an audio clip, 
I'd be glad to pass it on.

Eclecticology