bhbhbhhh t1_itjo9lg wrote
Reply to comment by walkinmybat in The way people speak in The Count of Monte Cristo. Can someone explain? by foxdna
When I read Gogol's Dead Souls I had two different translations on hand. The translation from the 1950s was simply much better written, but unfortunately had omissions.
owensum t1_itn4138 wrote
With these kind of translations there is often a choice whether to keep to the original style, or to improve it for readability. For instance, Dostoevsky's prose was pretty chaotic at times and some translators have chosen to polish it up. Others, notably Pevear & Volokhonsky, try to translate it as faithfully as possible, with the result being rougher. So this may explain it.
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