What the Fuck is with Dostoevsky Translations

[Anonymous No.14739144]

How am I supposed to know what translation of Dostoevsky I'm supposed to read? I'm told by some sources that P&V is the superior translation that captures not just the concept, but the style and direct meaning. I'm told that Garnett a shit but then someone else says that the initial translation by Garnett is "magnificent". I'm considering just reading McDuff because it read a bit nicer from the excerpts I saw. Is there a functional way to compare without buying each translation?
I don't have that kind of money. I want the translation that is most accurate without text that loses the intended way to read it. ShouId just give up?

[Anonymous No.14739165]

>>14739144
Just read the fucking book

[Anonymous No.14739169]

>>14739144
Always avoid the P&V translation. They are hacks who know neither Russian nor English. McDuff is fine, as is (revised) Garnett and the Maudes.

[Anonymous No.14739170]

>>14739165
WHICH ONE

[Anonymous No.14739177]

>>14739144
P&V is an example of shilling, it’s the most recent translation so of course they got some people to say “Oh it’s better than anything before.” Personally I have read most of the major translations in part, usually sections from TBK, and I think P&V is the worst sounding one. Garnett sounds nice but I think she can miss some important stuff. McDuff is the best translator imo but MacAndrew also sounded pretty good when I read excerpts, I’m thinking about reading his version the next time I reread Dostoevsky. I think the reality is that a really stellar translator of Dostoevsky has not yet come along. Like the Maude’s with Tolstoy or Ormsby and Quixote, but I think P&V, Garnett, Monas (whose translations were my first for Dosto) are most definitely a step down from McDuff.

[Anonymous No.14739179]

>>14739170
Which book?

[Anonymous No.14739185]

>>14739179
Yeah. There are multiple translations of each of Dostoevsky's major works. Is choosing McDuff a mistake?

[Anonymous No.14739186]

>>14739169
Maudes never translated dosto

[Anonymous No.14739210]

>>14739185
Which book?

[Anonymous No.14739214]

>>14739210
Crime and Punishment, Demons, the Idiot, Notes from Underground, Brothers Karamazov

[Anonymous No.14739235]

Notes- Kentish/Garnett
C&P- Katz or Slater
TBK- McDuff, Avsey
Demons- McDuff, Katz
Idiot- Myers

There. Anything else is probably Garnett or P&V by virtue of them being the only ones to translate it. Oxford Translations have been the best IMO.

[Anonymous No.14739292]

I impulse bought them all McDuff because it would stress me out to have different cover styles for the same selection of works, and the other covers look unaesthetic and . Did I make a poor decision?

[Anonymous No.14739299]

>>14739292
Wait no I actually just bought them all Penguinbooks they're not all McDuff

[Anonymous No.14739302]

>>14739214
Crime & Punishment: Oliver Ready
Brothers Karamazov: David McDuff

[Anonymous No.14739340]

>>14739235
Thanks. I cancelled my order and am looking through these translations.

[Anonymous No.14739837]

>>14739144
P&V deliberately pretend that style does not exist, only words and phrases matter. They act like biological computer translator. This is all you need to know about them. Want more? All the links are at
>>/lit/?task=search&ghost=&search_text=pevearsion

[Anonymous No.14739939]

Hemingway read Dosto in Garnett's translations. You don't think you're better than Hemingway, do you?

[Anonymous No.14740573]

>>14739144
im just going to tell you this, OP: dont fall for the anti-P&V shilling. there are actual shills on this board trying desperately to gatekeep you from reading P&V. do you know why? because their translations have some super redpilled notes. in "the idiot" for example, whenever dostoevsky references rothschild.

[Anonymous No.14740674]

>>14739177
Half the time McDuff is more recent than P&V asshat.

[Anonymous No.14740684]

>>14739299
Pretty sure Penguin is Garnett since it's cheapest and basically public domain.