h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Great entry Deemikay Well explained... I doubt I would ever understand the poem alone

I Like the picture too

Yes indeed, nice article. Writers such as Neruda and Octavio Paz really make me wish my Spanish education had begun early enough to be useful. I would love to be able to read these works in their original tongue.

Thank you!

I know what you mean about reading in the original language... my spanish is very vrey VERY far from being any good. I've just returned from Mexico and it improved slightly, but I really need to get some practice in. I try to buy bi-lingual editions of poetry in Spanish, just so I can pronounce the words as they were written (even if I can't understand).

And it's a shame that writers in Spanish aren't as widely known in the UK as other languages (French and German immediately spring to mind).

I'm glad you both liked the article!

deemikay

I too am not even an adiquate spanish speaker / reader. I have often wondered if the references to the "little deaths" in section three are references to some idomatic expression similar to that in French where "La petit mort" is, i beleive, a euphamism for orgasm, or perhaps even a reference to that same French phrase - Neruda was certainly an able linguist.

Wonderful article - i rarely comment on entries, but this one it a fine introduction, well done.

Just thought I'd add more congratulations and thanks for a job well done here. I have a couple of books of Neruda's poetry but haven't read this one. When I do look it out, it'll now mean far more thanks to your interpretation and explanations. I agree about trying to get hold of bi-lingual editions, even though my Spanish is only holiday essentials level, I enjoy reading through his poems as he wrote them to hear the rhythm and language. A good translation can give the sense and mirror turns of phrase and references but rarely replicates the feel of the poetry (if you see what I mean )

I've never heard of "la petit mort". That's quite interesting! I know someone who's fluent in Spanish, so I'll ask her if there's an equivalent. I'll let you know when I find out...

I think you have to be careful with any translation. I remember reading a few years ago an old Italian saying "The translator is a traitor". {Ironically, I can't remember the original and my Italian is non-existant! ) So, I always hunt about for "reputable" translations. It took me ages to find a translation of The Divine Comedy I liked (and I recommend Mark Musa's unrhymed version in the Penguin Classics series if you're interested. )

Schmitt's translation of HoMP seemed much better than another version I read. So I recommend that one as well. But no bi-lingual...

deemikay

If you really want to see how much translations can vary, try reading several different versions of the Tao Te Jing by Lao Tse. (which is not a bad idea anyway.) Some are whimsical and light others are literal and quite confusing. You'll rarely believe your reading the same work.