English translations of Stijn Streuvels

[tiganeasca]

I recently discovered Stijn Streuvels' writing and have now read the two novels I found in English, "The Flaxfield" and "The Long Road." I wonder if anyone knows of any other works of his that have been translated in English? Thanks.

 

[Ater Lividus Ruber & V]

https://letterenfonds.secure.force....s&query=Stijn Streuvels&id=a08b00000003v7lAAA

Streuvels, Stijn. Old Jan English / transl. from Dutch by Edward Crankshaw. Crows Nest, Sydney Allen & Unwin, 1936. Fiction, gebonden. Original title: Langs de wegen. Amsterdam Veen, 1902. Present at the library of the Nederlands Letterenfonds.
Streuvels, Stijn. The flaxfield English / transl. from Dutch by André Lefevere, Peter Glassgold. Los Angeles Sun & Moon Press, 1988 (Sun & Moon Classics; 3). Fiction, paperback. Original title: De vlaschaard. Amsterdam Veen, 1907. Published with support from the Stichting voor Vertalingen. Present at the library of the Nederlands Letterenfonds.
Streuvels, Stijn. The long road English / transl. from Dutch by Edward Crankshaw. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1976 (The Library of Netherlandic Literature; 8). Fiction, gebonden. Original title: Langs de wegen. Amsterdam Veen, 1902. Published with support from the Stichting voor Vertalingen. Present at the library of the Nederlands Letterenfonds. / Present at the library of the Vlaams Fonds voor de Letteren.

So you didn't mention Old Jan, that's one. And I see The Path of Life on Amazon. Don't know if that's another of The Long Road. Hopefully you got two new titles!

 

[tiganeasca]

Many thanks, purpura. Indeed, The Long Road is but one of a variety of English titles, another one of which is The Path of Life. It's nice to know of another Crankshaw translation (he also did The Long Road, at least my version) and I thought it quite well done. I'll have to hunt up Old Jan; pity there isn't more. Thanks too for the link to the database I had not previously known. Since another of my interests is Indonesian literature, particularly the period when the islands were ruled by the Dutch, I suspect it will come in handy (I was astonished at the number of translations of Couperus, just for a sample, though most date to the '20s and earlier).

 

[Ater Lividus Ruber & V]

Letterenfonds is a tremendous resource, glad you know if it now.

Looks like Old Jan is rare, rare, rare. If you look on worldcat, there are five libraries that have it, and only one is in the states. (good luck )

 

[wim]

It surprises me that only 4 works have been translated. S.S. has an enormous body of work, and he was nominated 14 times for the Nobel.

I am a native speaker of Flemish Dutch so you are always welcome to commission an amateur translation heh heh

 

[wim]

also, here is a list of all streuvels translations in all languages http://streuvels.be/doc/Vertalingen_in_vreemde_talen_in_boekvorm_verschenen.xls (warning: document is an excel file, and in dutch)

Old Jan is the same book as the Long Road.

There is also a book you missed called "When the Wheel turn its Circle" (o.t. Het leven en de dood in de ast)

 

[tiganeasca]

Thanks for the list. I'm particularly grateful to know that Old Jan is the same as The Long Road. Unfortunately, my searches have turned up not a single copy--at any price--of When the Wheel Turns Its Circle. Given his reputation and works, it's depressing to see how little has been translated. I guess I'll just have to win the lottery and commission a few translations. (If you know which tickets to buy....)

 

[wim]

Thanks for the list. I'm particularly grateful to know that Old Jan is the same as The Long Road. Unfortunately, my searches have turned up not a single copy--at any price--of When the Wheel Turns Its Circle. Given his reputation and works, it's depressing to see how little has been translated. I guess I'll just have to win the lottery and commission a few translations. (If you know which tickets to buy....)

i googled around a bit and it seemed like some guy named Omer Vandeputte self-published that translation in 2011. He seems to have self-published a work on Streuvels (in Dutch) last year, so probably if you find the email address of the guy he should be able to help you.


EDIT: you can find Omer's email address at the bottom of this page http://www.streuvels.be/nieuws.html

 

[tiganeasca]

Many thanks. Interesting website (thanks to Google Translate). I've already sent them an e-mail and will report back to the many thousands who are no doubt eager to hear about the possibility of purchasing a new translation into English!

 

[tiganeasca]

Sadly, no reply at all. Nada. I wrote and asked how I could purchase a copy and either (a) they never check their e-mail, (b) they don't understand English, or (c) they don't care. I'm voting for (a), but the result is the same.

 

[wim]

Sadly, no reply at all. Nada. I wrote and asked how I could purchase a copy and either (a) they never check their e-mail, (b) they don't understand English, or (c) they don't care. I'm voting for (a), but the result is the same.

oh, what a bummer. i will send a mail in dutch to check if that works better

 

[tiganeasca]

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed. I checked the website again to make certain I used the correct address--I sent my e-mail to the "Contact" address. It wouldn't be entirely surprising if the website was a part-time "hobby" and I can't get too upset. Still, it would be wonderful to read more of his work. I liked The Flaxfield and was very impressed with The Long Road; more would be terrific.Given the quality of his writing, it's quite a surprise that more hasn't been translated.

 

[Francis Meadows]

This site contains an overview of Flemish authours that have been translated, even if it seems rather limited and sporadic: https://www.flandersliterature.be/

Francis

 

[tiganeasca]

Thank you for that site; it's new to me, and though it clearly focuses on contemporary writers, there's some interesting information tucked away. Now if I could only be wealthy enough to commission some of those translations I mentioned previously....

 

[Francis Meadows]

Thank you for that site; it's new to me, and though it clearly focuses on contemporary writers, there's some interesting information tucked away. Now if I could only be wealthy enough to commission some of those translations I mentioned previously....

Mijn Nederlands is niet te slecht...

 

[tiganeasca]

Mijn Nederlands is niet te slecht...

So...is US$25 enough to get started?

 

[Francis Meadows]

So...is US$25 enough to get started?

Depends on which book and it's length obviously .

That being said, if through this thread, or the forum, we can establish that there would be an interest for a one or more specific older Flemish/Dutch books, the organisation behind the Flanders Literature-site could help spark interest from a publisher to launch a translation. Just thinking out loud here.

Francis

 

[peter_d]

I would be interested in a translation too. Even though I am native speaker of Dutch, I struggled to get through the only book by Streuvels I own. It's a collection of stories of which I don't recall the title. I constantly had to look up words. I am not sure if it is because he uses typical Flemmish words that are unused in the Netherlands, or if many of the words have become obsolete and are also not very common anymore in Belgium. What I read though was definitely interesting.

 

[tiganeasca]

Although it has been several years, I remember liking The Flaxfield quite a bit (say a 4) and The Long Road even more (a 4+ or a 5). It appalled me at the time, and continues to do so, that more of his work is not available in English.

 

[Francis Meadows]

I constantly had to look up words. I am not sure if it is because he uses typical Flemmish words that are unused in the Netherlands, or if many of the words have become obsolete and are also not very common anymore in Belgium.

Streuvels obviously is a writer from another era and the Flemish he uses may indeed sound very static and almost solemn compared to today's use of the language. Even young Flemish people of today would probably need to think twice about certain words or sentences used by writers of that era.

In addition to that, it also often surprises me how different daily Flemish and daily Dutch (as used in the Netherlands) can be. I even think there used to be a television quiz where a Dutch team had to guess Flemish words and vice versa.

I lived in Amsterdam for six months and the first time I ordered a sparkling water in a pub, was relativelly hilarious. In Belgium, you order a "spuitwater". But that was completely unknown territory in Amsterdam, where it was a "spa blauw". Which is funny as in Belgium as Spa is a specific brand of water, and not just a water in general. And yes, the Belgian water brand is based in Spa-Francorchamps which is world famous with car-nuts.

Francis