Saturday, 17 January 2015

Lost in Translations


So, it's farewell to the latest TV Wallander episodes, which confusingly featured a much younger version of the Diabetic 1, and hello to Spiral, fast moving and set in the grimier quartiers of Paris. The Nord-crime fest has been with us for so long that I now seriously believe I can actually speak Scandik ('tak ...alibi..') and I've almost stopped getting snagged up by the sub-titles, except where they are just plain daft.

There was a bit in the last series of The Bridge where Martin, the gloomy can't-keep-it-in-his-cargoes 'tec met up with his son.
Martin: Hi.
Son: Hi.
Subtitles: Hi....Hi.  Someone in the sub-title department was clearly having a laugh.

I don't know how you react, but I also find heartening to realise that there are countries where people exist in a sort of 24 hour low-level gloomy twilight, speak languages in which the consonants vastly outnumber the vowels, and spend all their lives killing each other or plotting political coups behind the scenes. Maybe that is why Annie, the heroine of my ebook Jigsaw Pieces, originates from one of the Scandi countries. I'm a closet gloomster with hidden psychotic tendencies.

I hold my hands up at this point and confess that of all the countries featured in the Nordic Noir dramas, I have a particular fondness for the Danes, because they have translated one of my books into Danish.  Rodt Flojl (the o's have little lines through them, can't work out how to do it, sorry) which is the Danish version of Red Velvet, one of my children's books, has been available in Danish bookshops since 2001.

Interestingly, Rodt Flojl, the translated version, is at least a third longer than its English counterpart Red Velvet. Don't know why. Complete mystery. Maybe I have more to say in Danish. Sadly, I also don't know what it is, but every now and then I receive a royalty cheque.
Tak.
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14 comments:

  1. Rosalind Adam17 January 2015 at 01:12

    I am massively impressed that you have a book translated into Danish. Wow! The Nordic countries don't have the monopoly on murder/gloomy outbreaks though. Broadchurch has its share of gloom - though I'm loving it to pieces - and as for Midsomer Murders! I rest my case!

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    Replies
    1. Carol Hedges17 January 2015 at 05:40

      I just like the ones from abroad...they give you a sense of what the country is like ..even if it isn't really...

      Delete
  2. JO17 January 2015 at 01:34

    Give me Montalbano any day ... With or without a translation!

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  3. Lynn Gerrard17 January 2015 at 02:37

    * Dons egnet kappe af elendighed, passerer dansk wienerbrød *

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    Replies
    1. Carol Hedges17 January 2015 at 05:39

      Actually, the postilion is absolutely fine...I checked.

      Delete
  4. Broad Thoughts From A Home17 January 2015 at 04:10

    Quite. I much prefer sunny Sicily to sombre Scandinavia - especially in depths of a gloomy English winter!

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    Replies
    1. Carol Hedges17 January 2015 at 05:40

      I think they should structure the series to the time if year..

      Delete
  5. Vallypee17 January 2015 at 08:06

    Three cheers for the Danes! I'd be so proud to have a book translated. Kudos to you! I have a fondness for the Henning Mankell crime stories, and yes, gloom is prevalent in those too, but I also love Donna Leon's Brunetti series; the sunshine and heat of a Venetian summer set the tone, as well as the focus on yummy Italian food!

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    Replies
    1. Carol Hedges17 January 2015 at 08:08

      Donna Leon brings up another issue: I loved the first 8 of the series, but feel she is now churning them out..I did a blog post on writing series and mentioned a writer I thought should have stopped at 10 ..it was her!

      Delete
    2. Vallypee17 January 2015 at 13:41

      Ah, maybe I haven't got to number ten yet. I've only read about six of them!

      Delete
  6. Unknown17 January 2015 at 09:04

    Never have a clue as to what's going on in Wallander but like the rhythm of the language. Love it when an English word is thrown up like a fish leaping from a fjord.
    Am working on my very first novel, Bonfire of the Past. Not an easy task but surprisingly enjoyable all the same. My respect for anyone who ever gets anything published grows by the day. But who knows, one fine day my protagonist, Rouge Smith might find herself between two covers. She'd like that would Rouge.

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  7. Nicola18 January 2015 at 10:15

    My favourite books have been set in Sicily and Scandanavia. Both places are filled with fantastic scenery. Have a great week.

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  8. Wendy's Writing19 January 2015 at 00:22

    We should set ourselves a task - who can write the best Scandinavian rom com.

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  9. Anonymous21 January 2015 at 15:20

    Carol, I love your sense of humor; plus your take on the Scandi countries. So nice to know your book has been translated into Danish! And royalty checks, too. Wonderful! Lynn

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