tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post128479124034838928..comments2024-01-22T12:12:17.447-07:00Comments on The Book Doctor: How to Define Foreign Words in ProseThe Book Doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630790153730670666noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-38586890461027557952010-09-06T11:46:49.412-06:002010-09-06T11:46:49.412-06:00The best way is to write the dialogue in English a...The best way is to write the dialogue in English and say she spoke in whatever language. Ex: "Don't do it," she said in Latin.Sandi Roghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14133590559340429928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-32910149241799591382010-09-06T05:01:25.216-06:002010-09-06T05:01:25.216-06:00I am editing a book, in which one character resort...I am editing a book, in which one character resorts to talking in another language, because she doesn't speak English fluently. The author has translated what she says, and makes her 'speak' that too. Which looks very bad. But, how else can one explain to the reader what was said? Put it in brackets? Make some other character translate it? That stops the flow of the conversation. Any ideas?Moturam's Ahalyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16427739916634972726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-78879567161175751132010-05-10T12:03:23.007-06:002010-05-10T12:03:23.007-06:00Glad it was helpful, Mid. :-)
If some folks still...Glad it was helpful, Mid. :-)<br /><br />If some folks still complained that they couldn't understand, listen to that. Double-check how their meanings were defined. Perhaps they can be made more clear?Sandi Roghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14133590559340429928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-38828182086125147142010-05-10T11:44:31.255-06:002010-05-10T11:44:31.255-06:00This is a great blog--I'm glad I found it! I w...This is a great blog--I'm glad I found it! I wrote a novel set in Israel and used some typical Hebrew words but always in a way that showed or explained what they meant. And do you know, I still had a couple of people who complained or asked what certain words meant, even though I didn't have "that" many. :) I found out you can't expect everyone to figure things out on their own. I'm writing a sequel, and I'm going to treat the foreign words the same way--thank you for confirming this for me!midspointhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794005706331825301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-26523873213496050712010-04-23T09:49:56.780-06:002010-04-23T09:49:56.780-06:00Great tips on this!Great tips on this!Carla Gadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-34419458301328877592010-04-12T10:46:36.159-06:002010-04-12T10:46:36.159-06:00You've given me some good ideas...now to get b...You've given me some good ideas...now to get busy and utilize them. Thanks!Yvonne Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08710596077769759997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-26678030415075415962010-04-12T10:37:26.251-06:002010-04-12T10:37:26.251-06:00More thoughts: if it won't work to have the me...More thoughts: if it won't work to have the meaning of the song unfold with the story, then simply put the translation of it at the beginning or ending of the book. You know how some authors have a quote before their story starts? You could do it that way.The Book Doctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04630790153730670666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-45492092720007601132010-04-12T10:34:19.348-06:002010-04-12T10:34:19.348-06:00Yvonne, yes try to add the definitions in the stor...Yvonne, yes try to add the definitions in the storyline. But also be careful that you don't use too many foreign words. They can overwhelm the reader to the point that they won't want to read the book. <br /><br />As for the song, that would be difficult to translate. You might be able to bring out the meaning of the words as she learns the language. Have the meaning unfold as the story unfolds. That'd especially work if the theme has anything to do with the song. <br /><br />Hope this helps!The Book Doctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04630790153730670666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-16160902089405967262010-04-12T09:13:14.274-06:002010-04-12T09:13:14.274-06:00Yes, I see what you mean. I have written a middle...Yes, I see what you mean. I have written a middle-grade novel about a young girl raised by a half-breed Indian. There are many authentic Algonquin words within it, including a lullabye. I made a glossary, but I think I could revise it to add the definitions within the storyline.Yvonne Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08710596077769759997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-288332089050447662010-04-12T08:33:02.300-06:002010-04-12T08:33:02.300-06:00Hi, Yvonne. Thanks for commenting!
In all honesty...Hi, Yvonne. Thanks for commenting!<br /><br />In all honesty (and this is just my opinion), I don't like glossaries. It's another way to cause a reader to stop reading (pulling them out of the story) to figure out what something means. Based on the examples above, it's really not necessary. I also don't believe in having so many foreign words in a story that it bogs down the prose so much that you HAVE to have a glossary. <br /><br />Remember, we're storytellers. We want the prose to flow so smoothly that the reader "forgets they're reading" and loses themselves in our story. Making them stop to look up words, or making it obvious within the text that we're defining words, creates speedbumps and reminds the readers that "Hey! You're reading MY book. Yes, the one *I* wrote! Don't you LOVE it!" You see, it takes the reader's mind off the story and forces them to focus on the writer. :-)<br /><br />Hope this helps!The Book Doctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04630790153730670666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4394229508004811632.post-78201677453362078022010-04-12T08:11:36.711-06:002010-04-12T08:11:36.711-06:00Great post! I was impressed with how Sandra Byrd ...Great post! I was impressed with how Sandra Byrd included French within her book "Let Them Eat Cake" and subtly "translated" it with another person's response. <br /><br />What do you think of using a glossary?Yvonne Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08710596077769759997noreply@blogger.com