Mock-Epic as a Byproduct of the Norm of Elevated Language
Published online: 24 March 2000
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.11.2.04wei
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.11.2.04wei
Abstract
Beginning in the late nineteenth century, Hebrew underwent a process of revival. Despite the growing stratification of the language, literary translations into Hebrew were governed by a norm which dictated the use of an elevated style rooted in ancient Hebrew texts. This norm persisted at least until the 1960s. Motivated by the Hebrew tradition of employing the elevated style to produce the mock-epic, translators created mock-epic works independently of the source texts. This article describes the creation of the mock-epic in canonized and non canonized adult and children's literature, focusing on the Hebrew versions of Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews, Damon Runyon's Guys and Dolls, Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise and A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.
Résumé
En dépit de la stratification graduelle de l'hébreu à partir de la fin du XIXe siècle, les traductions littéraires en cette langue relevaient d'une norme qui imposait le recours à un style élevé emprunté aux textes en hébreu ancien. Cette norme a survécu au moins jusqu'aux années 1960. S'appuyant sur la tradition du style élevé également appliqué au genre burlesque, des traducteurs composaient des oeuvres héroï-comiques, indépendamment des textes-sources. Cet article analyse l'émergence du burlesque au sein des lettres canoniques et non-canoniques destinées aux adultes et aux enfants, s'attachant en particulier aux versions en hébreu de Joseph Andrews (H. Fielding), Guys and Dolls (D. Runyon), Modesty Blaise (P. O'Donnell), Winnie-the-Pooh et The House at Pooh Corner (A.A. Milne).
Article outline
- Introduction
- Mock-Epic
- Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews
- Damon Runyon's Guys and Dolls
- Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise
- A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
References
References (26)
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Fielding, Henry. 1975 (1742). Joseph Andrews, in: Joseph Andrews and Shamela, with an introduction by A.R. Humphreys. London and New York: Dent and Dutton, Everyman's Library. Hebrew version: Esther Caspi. Tel Aviv: Am Oved, Sifriya La-Am, 1965.
Milne, Alan Alexander. 1992 (1926). Winnie-The-Pooh. New York: Puffin Books. Hebrew versionVera Israelit and A.D. Shapira. Tel Aviv: Makhbarto Le-Sifrut, 1970 (1943)
. 1946 (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. London: Methuen. Hebrew version: Aharon Amir. Tel Aviv: Makhbarot Le-Sifrut, 1970 (1951).
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Cited by (2)
Cited by two other publications
Asscher, Omri
2010. A model for Hebrew translation of British humor. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 22:2 ► pp. 237 ff.
Tabbert, Reinbert
2002. Approaches to the translation of children’s literature. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 14:2 ► pp. 303 ff.
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