A language other than the author's native one used for first publication

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

I just completed the Kurt Wallander Series by Henning Mankell and I encountered an anomaly. One of his novellas was first published in Dutch as Het Graf (2004). It was later published in Swedish as Handen (2013).

I doubt if he wrote in fluent Dutch, so it was probably written in Swedish and translated to Dutch.

When I added the relationship I used Het Graf has translation of Handen, which is in accordance with the publishing timeline.

On Bookogs, I think the Work was always in the author’s native language regardless of the language used for the first publication, until such time as the author changed to another language.

It is a bit like the chicken and the egg, but I feel the method I used on BB is correct.

[indy133]

Yes, but you have to be careful when adding translations of other languages, in this case An Event in Autumn. Without an edition in hand it’s hard to tell whether it was translated from the Dutch or from the Swedish version.

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

That is a very good point. Logically, you would think it was translated from Swedish, but there is always the possibility it wasn’t, which needs to be verified.

The other thing that dawned on me is that only one Work was created on Bookogs and all of the Books were credited to it regardless of the language they were in (I’m starting to forget). That is why the author’s native language was important there.

Of course on BB a Work is created for each language variation.

Which brings us back to the point you have made. I’m still none the wiser. I’ll have to think about it.

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

Well that was easier than I thought. I obtained a copy and the title page states:

Elementary, dear @indy133

[indy133]

@Deleted_Editor_2265540

Elementary, dear @indy133

Indeed, Mr Holmes, but afaik this phrase never appeared in one of Doyles books.

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

Quite correct sir, it never did. Now I’m going back to looking after my bee hives and shooting up cocaine (both of those did).

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

I was just about to retire for the night and took one more look at the Handen Work Handen (Work) – BookBrainz and it still felt wrong.

I obtained a 2010 copy of Het Graf and it states “Oorspronkelijke titel: Hündelse om hosten”. The only problem is that title was never used for a published edition, although the copyright is 2004.

The first time the work was published in Swedish was 2013 and the English translation followed in 2014.

I propose that I explain this in the Annotation section of Handen and reverse the relationship with the Dutch Work.

Does that sound reasonable?

[indy133]

@Deleted_Editor_2265540

Does that sound reasonable?

Yes , it does. (in search of additional characters to fulfill the holy “20s Rule”

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

It has been a long day and my mind is not working as it should. Thanks for confirming I haven’t totally lost the plot!

[Deleted_Editor_2265540]

@indy133

(in search of additional characters to fulfill the holy “20s Rule”

It was a mark of my tiredness last night that I didn’t understand your comment. For short messages try adding lyrics from your favourite songs. It will confuse the hell out of some people and entertain others.

[mr_monkey]

After mentioning the novel We by Yevgeny Zamyatin in another topic, I’m circling back to this one. If at any point we need a clear example of a first publication not in the original language for anything, this one is just about perfect.

The novel was first published in English in 1924 by E. P. Dutton in New York in a translation by Gregory Zilboorg, but its first publication in the Soviet Union had to wait until 1988

From the wikipedia article.