Linkage

[petronia]

http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/authors/murakami/roundtable.html

An immensely illuminating round-table email exchange between Murakami Haruki's translators. (So Japanese editors don't actually edit - jeebus I thought it was just Cobalt. "Weren't there seventeen samurai on the last page? Okay I go with it, not my fault...") Also, VARIANT AND ABRIDGED VERSIONS OMGWTFBBQ. Methinks Murakami's prose converts much more readily into American English than the vast majority of Japanese writers, but clearly that's not a reason to assume reading him in translation makes no difference. =_=

Also, Monday morning completely made by update on Huehueteotl story.

Comments

[vonbrigthi.livejournal.com]

ahah, yeh i remember reading that roundtable when i was doing research on murakami in translation. i think one of my favourite factoids was eh, something like the joke about how they put a cap on how many words his english editions can be, regardless of how many volumes the japanese edition takes. XD

it's interesting that i believe a few of his books in the british version are packaged much like the japanese editions? (two volume books, etc.)

the lack of editing is also hilarious. or frightening, i can't tell. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I like how in Japan authors still serialise novels. Here they would never call it one book published in three installments, they'd insist it was a trilogy and give the three parts different names. Even when it's really obviously not, like the vast majority of fantasy trilogies.

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

actually murakami's japanese does convert more easily to english than anyone else's and there is a reason for it which I learned in class, but, uh, I forgot. >_>

[nyahnyah.livejournal.com]

"Japanese editors don't actually edit"

One of my Japanese professors and I were discussing how this is probably why Japanese authors WRITE SO MUCH MORE in comparision to other authors in the world.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, that is true, isn't it?

[starlighter.livejournal.com]

Hah! This explains why I couldn't fit A Wind-Up Bird Chronicle into either bag and ended up having to leave it at home. Feel less guilty now, though I do feel the urge to go hunt down the missing chapters. Thanks for the link - Rubin was my professor's mentor, and the translation I read of Norwegian Wood was his. It's probably just a matter of time before I pick up Gabriel's Kafka On The Shore anyway. (Strange, but I don't remember seeing Alfred Birnbaum's translations on the shelves.)

[starlighter.livejournal.com]

Also, double thanks, because have just discovered Murakami's playlist. (*_*) Oh sensei... (Ok, the man listened to Radiohead's Kid A while writing.

I... need to spend a few hours fangirling this man and his books.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Tin and I were actually discussing the possibility of making a Murakami Haruki Mix. I... guess that won't be necessary now. XD XD XD

Birnbaum's translations were published in-Japan-only through Kodansha, if I read the article correctly.

[starlighter.livejournal.com]

Oh I see no reason why Murakami's playlist should exclude your making your own. (^_^) Though really, I can't think of any song off-hand that would be good in a mix like that - you and Tin would be better at that than I. Perhaps less jazz and classical and Beatles and more Blur and Joy Division? XD Unearthed my copy of Dance Dance Dance under the bed, though when I'll find time to read it I don't know.

[fable.livejournal.com]

Also, VARIANT AND ABRIDGED VERSIONS OMGWTFBBQ.

hmm. that might explain why the ending of that book made NO SENSE AT ALL.

[insaneneko.livejournal.com]

I haven't read Murakami's novels, but the discussions about editing in Japan and translating were fascinating. Thanks for sharing the link.

[develei.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this! I thought Murakami was just a 2012 fandom craze, fascinating to see how inspiration is timeless.