Die Science Faction des Thomas Pynchon

[Michael J. Hußmann]

Richard Romeo (r.romeo at atlanticphilanthropies.org) wrote:

> Unlike say Joyce, Pynchon has a great knack for using a foreign word,
> phrase or term and then in due course translating the meaning without
> interrupting the narrative in any way.
> I like that about him

Well ... the German in Gravity's Rainbow reads like it was translated
word by word, and by someone who disn't speak German at all. His attempts
at word-play in German are just awful ("hübsch Räuber"/"Hubschrauber" for
example). He even admitted to the careless mis-use of a foreign phrase
such as "grippe espagnole" in "Slow Learner", and I would say he was just
as careless when inventing "German" words or phrases in GR.

- Michael


Michael J. Hußmann

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