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/lit/ - Literature

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12251018 No.12251018 [Reply] [Original]

Question for non-native English speakers like myself, do you read literature in your native language or english, or both? I want to increase my vocabulary both in my native tongue and english so I do both. Also any tips when it comes to deciding if one should read a specific book in english or not?

>> No.12251034

>>12251018
My native language is german.
I try to read books in the language they were originally written in. If i cant do that, i'll usually pick a german translation, unless they're hard to come by or extraordinarily expensive, in which case i'll just pick the english version. For example, mishima's works would be the latter.

>> No.12251056

>>12251018
Why the fuck would I read my native lit in english? This is some next level cultural cuckoldry.

>> No.12251071

>>12251056
Do you have trouble reading? Or understanding? Never did I say anything about reading the original (if it's written in your native language) in english.

>> No.12251082

>>12251018
Both. I read literature in all the languages I know and strive to learn more

>> No.12251089
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12251089

I'm Swedish, my main interest is always to come as close to the author's intentions as possible. I read all books by English writers in English. If I'm unsure of the translation from languages I don't speak, I generally look at what translations will be closer to the original. Based on literary style and language, closeness on the linguistic family tree also plays a role in my decision. So, for example, any Latin language I will go for the French translation (it's the only language I know beside Swedish and English) and so on.

>> No.12251295
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12251295

Swede numero dos checking in. If I have to read translations I try to pick the most etymologically true version. Practically this usually means reading germanic authors in Swedish, and romantic ones in English.

>> No.12251303

English works in English. The rest in Finnish translation.

>> No.12251393

Now i'm learning English to read books written originally in English,
it is more difficult to find some books translated into Spanish (I'm Chilean), I hope to improve my English to buy books abroad

>> No.12252271
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12252271

>>12251089
>>12251295
Swede number three here. I also do what these two do.

Except I don't speak french at all. I am a bilingual pleb who didn't pay attention in french class.