ACTA NEOPHILOLOGICA UDK: 81'255.4:821.111-93=163.6(091) DOI: 10.4312/an.51.1-2.39-47 The Translation History of English Classics: a Slovenian Case Study Darja Mazi - Leskovar Abstract This article discusses some English classics of children’s literature that have made their way into Slovenian children’s literature, become part of the national canon, and can still be bought in bookstores or borrowed in libraries. Among these rank Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Treasure Island, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and The Chronicles of Narnia. The study also examines if the authors are fully acknowledged with the title of the origi­nal source text and if the translators names are given in the colophon. Keywords: English classics of children’s literature, Slovenian books, translation history Slovenian literature has been traditionally open to translation and generations of Slovenian children and young readers have been offered books from various cultures and traditions. Even today the statistics reveal that in this country more translated books than books written by Slovenian authors have been published yearly for children. The 2017 annual report on the quality book production, elab­orated by the Central Institute for the Research of Slovenian Children’s Litera­ture, shows that in the year 2016 among 800 quality fiction books there were 500 translations and 330 Slovenian texts.1 Among foreign books those with English as the source language are most numerous – all in line with the position of Eng­lish in the world system of languages and its impact on the global translation trends. However, since fiction in English is derived from a variety of cultural envi­ronments, it is important to stress that in 2016 most translated books (10%) were written by British authors. They are followed by the translations from American fiction, represented by 5% books. However, the tradition of translation of English books started long ago before English became world language number one. The first translation from English, Poor Richard’s Almanac by Benjamin Franklin, was published in 1812 as Prava pot k dobrimu stanu, ali ena beseda ob pravim časi and blockbusters from United Kingdom and the USA were offered to Slovenian read­ers from 1850s onwards2. In this article, I intend to illustrate how a few selected books, written in (Brit­ish) English in Great Britain and ranked as classics of English children’s literature made their way into the realm of Slovenian children’s literature and later, through retranslations, and new editions, conquered generations of target readers. My pri­mary aim has been to select those quality books that have endured the test of time, and have thus been present for at least 50 years not only in the English speaking cultures but also on the international market. The additional criterion was that this prose fiction can still be borrowed in Slovenian libraries and bought in bookstores. Therefore only the translation history of the works that have been translated at least once during the present century have been singled out. The research has demonstrated that among such texts figure Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll, 1865), Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883), Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens ( James Matthew Barrie, 1906) and The Chronicles of Narnia (C. S. Lewis, 1950-1956). My goal is to reveal the outlines of the Slovenian publication history of the translations of these, generally acclaimed 1 Priročnik za branje kakovostnih mladinskih knjig – Odklenjeni kriki. Pregled književne produkcije za mladino iz leta 2016/Handbook for Reading Quality Children’s Literature–Unlocked Screams. Survey of Production of Books for Children in 2016. 2 For example, Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly (1851) was translated already in 1853, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels in 1907. as international classics.3 All selected books are also included among the 100 Best Children’s Books of All Times.4 Additionally, I will examine basic information, pre­sented in the colophon – the author›s name, the original title, the name of the translator, the place and the year of publication, the publishing house and, in case of illustrations, also the illustrator›s full name. TREASURE ISLAND Translations of Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson) have been present in the Slovenian book market since 1920. As in most translations of the period, the translator is indicated with initials only: J. M. According to the findings of Gillian Lathey (The Role of Translators in Children’s Literature; Invisible Storytellers) the use of initials was the expression of the modesty topos (Lathey, 2010: 112) and a step on the way from no accreditation to full recognition of translators’ role in international exchange of books. Subsequent fourteen editions give the full names of the translators. All these  versions are alike in entitling the book  Otok zakladov, which is a literal translation of the original title and which was the choice of the first Slovenian translator. The second translation of this adventure story was published in 1950, thus thirty years after the first one. However, the third edition was published only six years later and subsequently the book entered the Slovenian children’s canon. It was included on school reading lists and several editions followed. They were all illustrated and the illustrators are acknowledged with their full names. Of all fif­teen editions only four are adaptations, targeting an audience of younger children.Three of the adapted versions were translated from Italian, French and English.The most recent editions of Treasure Island came out in 2016 and in 2017. The latest one is into Braille. ALICE’S ADVENTURE IN WONDERLAND The famous children’s classic, Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, has also been published fifteen times, even though the first translation was published as late as 1969. It was entitled Alica v čudežni deželi (1969) and reprinted only in 1983.However, subsequently interest in this world classic has been constantly rising. 3 In histories of children’s literature, e.g. The Hidden Adult, Defining Children’s Literature (2008). 4 TIME compiled this survey in consultation with respected peers such as U.S. Children’s Poet Lau­ reate Kenn Nesbitt, children’s-book historian Leonard Marcus, the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress, the Every Child a Reader literacy foundation and 10 independent booksellers. Most translations have retained the title of the first target text which, trans­lated into English, would read »Alice in Wonderland«. This, by now the standard title, has been changed only when the edition also includes the text of Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (1871), also known as Alice through the Looking-Glass or shortly Through the Looking-Glass (1871), the sequel to Al­ice’s Adventure in Wonderland. Thus, the Slovenian 1990 edition, is entitled Aličine dogodivščine v čudežni deželi in v ogledalu, which would read in English »Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and in Looking-Glass«. By the present time, the two Carroll’s texts have been translated into Slovenian by eight translators, all dully acknowledged on the front covers. Four editions were published up to the year 2000 and nine editions in the following fifteeen years. All these books are illustrated even though they target different age groups. Among those aiming at younger children, ranks the pic-ture-book Alica v čudežni deželi (2007), containing six puzzles. This visual text is a translation of an Italian adaptation. Colophons on all editions provide the information required by the library reference services. In 1986 the story was adapted for the theatre, and subsequently for the puppet stage. The content can thus address the youngest segment of the public through dramatization.5 It is likely that these performances also contributed to the increas­ing popularity of the book: the latest edition was published in 2015. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS, PETER PAN AND WENDY In contrast, James Matthew Barrie’s texts about Peter Pan, the boy who wouldn’t grow, and Wendy, have been translated ’only’ three times in the present century – but altogether eleven times. Most editions bring the text of Peter Pan in Kensing­ton Gardens and in one book. All translations are entitled Peter Pan and they are all illustrated.The first translation was published in 1960.Its translator,Janko Moder,adapted it for the stage as well.The play was successfully performed by profession­al and amateur theatre groups. Even though Barrie’s fantasy can address children very well, a few editions have been adapted to suit better younger children. All books bring the expected standard information in the colophon.The latest edition was published in 2013. Most conversions of the two Barrie’s source texts into Slovenian were done by Janko Moder. Even though this article is deliberely limited to the presenta­tion of the publication history of the selected literary fiction and thus omits I have deliberately omitted any mention of adaptation of the selected texts for other media, as requiring a separate study in itself. any evaluation of the target texts or their comparisson, it seems appropriate, to stress the importance of the fact that Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Peter Pan and Wendy were translated by one the founding members of the SlovenianAssociation of Literary Translators,6 the recipient of several national and inter­national prizes for literary translation. Furthermore, it would not be right andfair not to stress that Moder was not the only Slovenian translator, recognizedalso in the larger European and world contexts, who devoted himself (also)to children’s literature. They all contributed to the high standards of language,characterizing most of Slovenian fiction books, originating in other languagesand cultures. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA Among the books, the C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia proves exceptional for at least two reasons. Firstly, in contrast to the other translations, they represent a complete set of seven stories, and secondly, even though they were first translated only in the late 1990, their publication history might be described as sensational for the Slovenian context: with 17 publications in only 20 years. An additional reason for looking at these stories is that three of them have been included on the Primary school recommended reading lists. These are and the Voyage of the Dawn Trader, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. The Slovenian titles of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian are literal translations of the originals: Lev, čarovnica in omara (first published in 1994) and Princ Kaspian (first published in1997), respectively. The title of the Voyage of the Dawn Trader, on the other hand, was translated in two ways: Jakob Emeršič chose Potovanje jutranje zarje (1997), a literal translation of the original, whereas Miriam Drev’s title, Potovanje potepuške zarje (2007), literally“The Voyage of the Vagabond Dawn”, stresses the theme of wandering. Besidesthese three books, the other four Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair, The Horse and his Boy, The Last Battle and have also been translated and retranslated in Slovenian. All editions contain full texts and display complete bibliographicinformation, thus acknowledging the author of the original text, the source titleand the translator. The most recent translations of the Narnia series were published in 2009, when four books from The Narnia Chronicles, The Horse and his Boy, The Magician’s Neph­ew, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian  were published. Addi­tionally, various episodes from this series have been adapted for the stage and have thus further consolidated the popularity of this fantasy series. Društvo slovenskih književnih prevajalcev (DSKP). CONCLUSION This outline of the Slovenian publication history of Alice’s Adventures in Won­derland, Treasure Island, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, Peter Pan and Wendy and The Chronicles of Narnia  in the Slovenian language reveals that these British quality children’s classics have maintained their status within Slovenian chil­dren’s literature, as they have in its English counterpart and just as they haveinternationally. The selected and studied prose texts were first translated in the period from1920 to 1994. Each of these blockbusters has been translated at least three times and by three translators. Besides, they were all retranslated several timesalready in the 20th century, even the Narnia books, published for the first timeonly in the mid 1990s. In addition, each of the examined target text has beenreedited at least three times in the present century. These date prove that thesetranslations can thus be judged as books of interest for contemporary readers.In fact they can address readers of different age groups since, with the exceptionof Narnia series, they can be read also in adaptations. The full texts were adapt­ed either by the Slovenian translators, translating from the original Englishtext or from an adapted version of the original. The study has also revealed thatthe translation of adaptations was based on Italian, French and English (e.g.all three in the case of Treasure Island). Considering the adaptations, it can beconcluded that they target younger children. The only exception is the adapta­tion of Treasure Island which aims at a special-needs group of readers. It canbe presumed that it is precisely this translation into Braill that can make thisold classic appreciate anew. The study also proves that every book is presented in accordance with thebibliographic conventions in force at the time of its publication. Accordingly,translations published after 1920 contain a colophon with all information rel­ative to the book, including the author’s, translator’s and illustrator’s names as well as the original title in English. Additinally, when the Slovenian translationis based on an adaptation, the title of the adaptation is given as well. Moreover,the findings of the research of the context in which the examined translationshave been quoted has revealed that Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Treasure Island, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, Voyage of the Dawn Trader, The Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian (the last three are part of The Chronicles of Narnia) have been included in the Primary school recommendedreading lists. They can be therefore considered as part of the Slovenian liter­ary canon for children. As representatives of the English literature, they canopen new perspectives on human existence to young readers. However, perhapseven to larger audiences, since the changing concepts of the borders between children’s literature and literature for adults have been altering the readershipof books and the area of fiction addressing readers of all ages seems to havebeen gaining ground. Despite the small number of cases examined here, the history of publications of the studied books reveals also a certain pattern, similar to the one already con­firmed by the research of translation history of American books which entered Slovenian children’s literature in the 20th century.7 Stevenson’s Treasure Island (Otok zakladov), in this context the book withthe longest life in the Slovenian literature, represents the books translated inthe period when for the first time a few English texts aiming at children andnot at general public or adults were published. This adventure was reprinted forthe first time in 1950, in a period when, after the Second World War, the targetliterature in Slovenia started opening up again to Western literatures. The newwave of translations of children’s literature from Britain and the USA resulted in the 3rd edition of Otok zakladov, after a gap of only five years. It was a peri­od of preparation for the encounters of Slovenian readers with various Britishliterary heroes, as Barrie’s Peter Pan (1960). Nevertheless, English fantasy withits characteristic nonsense only fully addressed Slovenians with the translationof Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in the late 1960s. Numerous translations of English books published in the 70s and the 80s prove that the market waswelcoming fiction from other cultures. However, the publication history of The Chronicles of Narnia shows that the the real breakthrough for translation cameafter 1990 when also books written by someone like C.S. Lewis, a writer whoheld academic positions in English literature at both Oxford and Cambridge,were translated – despite his work being profoundly influenced by Christianvalues. Seventeen editions of the books that make up the Narnia series in theperiod of only fofteem years prove that the reading audiences had been waitingfor these fantasies, not only already well known in the children’s literature ofother countries but also sold in their millions. To conclude, it is also worth highlighting the adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan and the Narnia series for the stage, all following the translation of the entire text. It is acknowledged that the phenomenon of dram­atization plays an important role in children’s culture and it can be claimed that it had a positive impact not only on the consolidation of the position these mas­terpieces have gained in the target  literature but also on their integration into a larger Slovenian cultural context. Discussed also in »140 let prevodov iz ameriške mladinske proze/140 Years of Translation of Ame­rican Prose for Children« by Darja Mazi - Leskovar. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barrie, James Matthew, 1960. Peter Pan/translation of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga. Barrie, James Matthew, 1982. Peter Pan/translation of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Peter Pan and Wendy. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga. Barrie, James Matthew, 2001. Peter Pan/translation of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Novo mesto: Šare in družabniki. Carroll, Lewis, 1969. Alica v čudežni deželi/Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland. Lju­bljana: Mladinska knjiga. Carroll, Lewis, 1983. Alica v čudežni deželi/Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland. Lju­bljana: Mladinska knjiga. Carroll, Lewis, 2007. Alica v čudežni deželi/Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland. Lju­bljana: Grahovac. Lathey, Gillian, 2010. The Role of Translators in Children’s Literature; Invisible Sto­rytellers. New York, Oxon: Taylor and Francis, Routledge. Lavrenčič, Darja, Ida Mlakar Črnič, 2017. Priročnik za branje kakovostnih mla­dinskih knjig – Odklenjeni kriki. Pregled književne produkcije za mladino iz leta 2016/Handbook on Reading Quality Children’s Literature–Unlocked Screams. Survey of Production of Books for Children in 2016. Ljubljana: Mestna kn-jižnica Ljubljana. Lewis, C.S., 1994. Zgodbe iz Narnije, Lev, čarovnica in omara/The Chronicles ofNarnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Celje: Mohorjeva družba. Lewis, C.S., 1994. Zgodbe iz Narnije, Potovanje jutranje zarje/The Chronicles ofNarnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Trader. Celje: Mohorjeva družba. Lewis, C.S., 2007. Zgodbe iz Narnije, Potovanje potepuške zarje/The Chronicles ofNarnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Trader. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga. Lewis, C.S., 2009. Zgodbe iz Narnije, Princ Kaspijan/Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga. Mazi – Leskovar, Darja, 1998. 140 let prevodov iz ameriške mladinske proze/140 Years of Translation of American Prose for Children. V: Cerar, Vasja. Preva­janje otroške in mladinske književnosti/Translation of Children’s Literature: 22. prevajalski zbornik/Proceedings of the Association of Slovenian Literary Transla­tors (Zbornik Društva slovenskih književnih prevajalcev, 22). Ljubljana: Društ­vo slovenskih književnih prevajalcev, 1998, 62–68. Nodelman, Perry, 2008. The Hidden Adult, Defining Children’s Literature. Balti­more: The John Hopkins University Press. Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1920. Otok zakladov/Treasure Island. Celje: Omladina. Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1997. Otok zakladov/Treasure Island. Ljubljana: Mladin-ska knjiga. Stevenson, Robert Louis, 2011. Otok zakladov/Treasure Island. Priredba/adapted by Ronne Randall. Murska Sobota: Pomurska založba. Stevenson, Robert Louis, 2017. Otok zakladov/Treasure Island. V brajico prila­godil/adapted to Braille by Matjaž Srebrnič. Ljubljana: Zveza društev slepih in slabovidnih Slovenije/Association of visually impaired of Slovenia. 100 Best Children’s Books of All Times/Najboljše mladinske knjige vseh časov, https:// www.bing.com/search?q=most+popular+children%27s+books+2018 Zgodovina prevodov angleških klasikov: izbrani slovenski primeri Članek obravnava zgodovino prevodov Petra Pana, Alice v čudežni deželi, Otoka zakladov in Zgodb iz Narnije, saj so ta kakovostna mladinska dela angleške mladinske književnosti mednarodno priznane uspešnice, ki so sprejete tudi v kanon slovenske literature. Ključne besede: angleški klasiki mladinske književnosti, slovenska besedila, zgodovina prevodov