Why you need to read books in the original

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The last straw for me was Stephen King's book "Joyland" (we published it under the title "The Land of Joy"), which is simply awfully translated. Below I will talk about why we should read books in the original and have been ready for this for a long time.

A few days ago I started reading the first nonfiction book in English in my life. I didn't think it would be any difficult. Last year I watched all films only in English with subtitles, and often preferred foreign ones to Russian articles. Simply because they most often provide original information, and not the arrangement and translation of several sources.

But it turned out that reading nonfiction literature in English is not so simple. I started with a book. She's incredibly interesting. Its author, Charles Duhigg, analyzed hundreds of scientific papers, communicated with scientists and leaders of large companies. Everything in order to understand how our habits are formed and whether we can manage them. I will definitely write an article about this, as Duhigg's concept turns our understanding of how to get rid of bad habits and form good ones upside down.

And a few weeks before that, I finished reading Stephen King's The Land of Joy.

Milo sat at my feet, ears perked up with bright eyes.

I am sure that in the original, King was able to better convey the meaning of this sentence. It got to the point of ridiculousness: some of the phrases were translated so stupidly and carelessly that several times I thought about finishing reading the book in the middle. Many people notice such bloopers. Some are so annoyed that they translate and publish books. Simply because translators who have been in service for over 40 years cannot keep track of progress. Happy meal from McDonald's turns into a "happy house", and a joystick - into a "stick of joy".

I am not saying that all Russian-language books are bad. I would be an idiot if I said that. I really like the books of the publishing house MYTH and a lot of fiction books translated into Russian. But if you decide to read a book, why not read it in the original?

Instead, we decide to read the author's thoughts, multiplied by the subjectivity and skill of the translator, which often leaves much to be desired.

If earlier it was not so easy to get the book in the original, now it is a matter of two minutes. If you are not afraid to spend $ 5, then millions of books are at your disposal. If you like to download for free, you can find the book in the original and without my help.

Another reason to read books in the original is time. Only in a few cases are translations published simultaneously with the original. For this, contracts are concluded, and the publication of the book in the original is postponed until the translation is ready. I think you understand that this happens very rarely.

For example, I plan to buy the next book by George Martin and start reading the minute it appears on Amazon. I will not be able to wait for several months when it will finally be translated into Russian, and Jon Snow will turn into Jon Sneg. Reading A Song of Ice and Fire in the original is not easy, but worth it. I hope that soon I will be able to verify this. Although, knowing Martin, you can never be sure of the timing.

For those who are just starting to learn English, the task may not be feasible, but this is another reason not to give up and continue learning it.

If your level of English allows you to read articles or at least watch films with subtitles, start reading the books in the original. This is an unforgettable experience in every sense.