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Article published In: Target
Vol. 2:1 (1990) ► pp.23–42

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The Normative Model of Twentieth Century Belles Infidèles

Detective Novels in French Translation

 | Comparative Literature, K.U. Leuven Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research
Published online: 1 January 1990
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https://doi.org/10.1075/target.2.1.03rob
Abstract
This paper draws on an analysis of Anglo-American detectives, thrillers and spy stories translated into the French Série Noire between the late fifties and the early seventies. Almost all of these translations are of the non-adequate type: the original novels are transformed according to an elaborate narrative model. It appears that these translation strategies correspond to the systemic position of the Série Noire in the French detective genre. However, they also fit into the old French tradition of translations as belles infideles, which was said to have "disappeared" in the 19th century.
Résumé
L'article est basé sur une analyse de romans policiers, de romans de suspense et de romans d'espionnage anglo-américains, traduits dans la collection française Série Noire à partir de la fin des années 50 jusqu'au début des annexes 70. Pratiquement toutes ces traductions sont du type non adéquat: les romans originaux ont été transformés suivant un modèle narratif élaboré. Il apparaît que ces stratégies de traduction ressortissentà la position systémique de la Série Noire dans le genre du roman policier en France. Pourtant, elles s'inserent également dans la vieille tradition française des belles infidèles, dont on a proclamé la mort au dix-neuvième siècle.
Article outline
  • I.The Série Noire and the Evolution of a Non-canonized Subsystem
  • II.The Translation Policy of the Série Noire
  • 1.Story
    • 1.1Intrigue
    • 1.2Characters
    • 1.3Setting
    • 1.4Ideology
  • 2.Narration
    • 2.1Time
    • 2.2Mode and Voice
  • III.Translation Policy and Systemic Position
  • Note
  • References
References (36)
References
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Weissbrod, Rachel
1990. Linguistic Interference in Literary Translations from English into Hebrew of the 1960s and 1970s. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 2:2 ► pp. 165 ff. DOI logo

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