Ever read a Georgette Heyer in French?

[Okkitokkiunga]

I have Cotillion in French. It is one of my favourites and I am a bit worried it may lose something in translation.

[Thingvellir]

That's a fairly niche question OP! I'm fluent in french and read a various French language media in a daily basis, but for novels, which I read to relax, tend to read in my mother tongue. Not really a solid answer to your question but wanted to respond with something

[Okkitokkiunga]

Thanks. Guess I should just give it a go.

[FatGreen]

You may find yourself concentrating on mistakes in translation! I've read quite a few English novels I'm very familiar with in French translation, and I remember getting quite cross when a French translation of Donna Tartt's The Secret History botched a passage about Bunny throwing a shoe at some hippies playing hackysack by translating 'hackysack' as 'sleeping bag' so none of it made sense...

[JudithTaverner]

Why would you? but might be interesting!

[MrsBernardBlack]

Agree with Fat, it drives me round the bend reading novels which have been translated from English to French, and vice versa.

[FatGreen]

Some translators are unspeakably good - the Irish novelist John McGahern's French translator is exceptional - but some are just muddling along without much contextual knowledge. Whoever translated early Maeve Binchy into French gave me quite a few giggles. And don't ask me why I've read MB in French - it's a long story...

[Okkitokkiunga]

Judith say hi to Worth . I wanted to improve my French so thought I'd read some books I was familiar with but having come across a couple of translation fails in articles/jokes etc I am now doubting the wisdom of buying a GH. I think it will probably sit on my shelf gathering dust forever more.

[Okkitokkiunga]

Fat and MrsB thanks. I think I shall stick with original French books for now. If I ever find the motivation that is.

[catkind]

I found it quite helpful reading English favourites in foreign languages when I was learning them. I read all of Harry Potter in French once. Not tried GH particularly, but agree with others that you don't rely on it for specialised vocab of any kind or anything particularly local (the variety of translations of "scone" are ... interesting). For general language and grammar and improving reading fluency it should be fine though. I also ended up watching a lot of dubbed US TV shows, not deliberately but just that was what was on - adds a bit of challenge!

[Strummerville]

I read all of Harry Potter in French once

I did this, too, and also all of the Discworld books that had been released in French at that point. Think it was the first fifteen or so.

[Okkitokkiunga]

I've got HP but was put off as I hate name changes . I really ought to stop being so fussy.

[EmGee]

I read all of the Twilight series in French :) Quite far removed from the classics I had to read in French at uni but it got me back into reading in French again for which I am grateful!!

[Okkitokkiunga]

Maybe we should start a What are you reading in French thread as I have seen quite a few mentions of French books on the other thread too.

Our main library (Derbyshire) stocks French books. They get them into my local branch for us.