Ah, well. The challenge of
telling stories set in other countries includes how to tell their tellings in
English, and what to do with foreign words.
An article on this can be
read here.
I faced it with my
published novel, THE VOICE OF
THUNDER. My solution was to use standard English and where a foreign (i.e.,
Hebrew) word was used, I followed it immediately with the English equivalent. Because
I was writing for young readers, I felt there was no place to send them
searching, to footnotes, or a glossary. I have seen others use glossaries in
similarly-set stories for children, and it didn't feel right. Young readers should experience the pleasure of a story. Footnotes and glossaries are for academics.
Above all, the flow of
reading must not be bumpy and hence interrupted by the foreignness of the
setting. It's challenging enough to meet and envisage another place or time.
Let the characters speak plainly and clearly. Save the layering to their
ideas and let the flow ride the twists of plot.
You came up with a logical solution when you opted not to interrupt the flow of the story.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
It's been a while since I've read your novel, but I don't remember feeling the story was disrupted, so you must've done it the right way.
ReplyDeleteI still love that book. It's been a long time since I read it though, I think it's time for another reading of The Voice of Thunder!
ReplyDeleteMirka, I agree--no stopping story. Like Ev, it's been a while since I read your book, but I never felt yanked out of the story. Everything flowed naturally. Well done! I've struggled with this too, with stories set in India, and I've chosen story over information. Context supplies meaning.
ReplyDeleteI am in the middle of reading a memoir in which the writer sometimes explains the German words/expressions and sometimes doesn't. Since I can figure out the German, it doesn't bother me. This is true of other languages as well, but I also don't mind looking up words. I've been curious about languages since childhood and went on to learn several, but I am probably the exception regarding foreign words in a text. Besides, I'm far from being a young reader anymore!
ReplyDeleteMirkaK, this post is specifically for those who write for young readers. I am now seeing many (fictional stories) picture books for ages 5-8 and even younger with glossaries and "back matter" to explain further, which I find wrongheaded. I suppose the notion is that this makes these books feel "educational," and teachers/librarians will order them. What is does is make the fictional stories an awkward and less enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteMirka, my first MG manuscript (not yet published) included a few Dutch words, from Dutch speakers talking to an English speaker. I took your approach. A few foreign words (things like hello, thank you, goodbye) in italics, followed immediately by a translation.
ReplyDeleteI originally had a glossary of Dutch terms at the back, also, but decided, as you did, that it was too academic for the reader.