Anthologies of Translated English-Canadian Short Stories in German(y)

353 Pages·2014·2.12 MB·English

Struggling Capitalists, Lonely Farmers, and Vast Land
–
Anthologies of Translated English-Canadian Short Stories in German(y), 1967-2010
by
Barbara Renate Erika Pausch
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
Translation Studies
Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies
University of Alberta
© Barbara Renate Erika Pausch, 2014
ABSTRACT
This study examines anthologies of translated English-Canadian short stories in German,
specifically anthologies published in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), the German
Democratic Republic (GDR), and Switzerland (CH) between 1967 and 2010. The corpus
taken from these anthologies, namely nineteen German translations of nine English-
Canadian short stories as well as the nine paratexts (introductions, forewords, and
afterwords) that accompany them, is analyzed with regard to the anthologies’ goals, motifs,
and functions. Furthermore, this study examines whether and to what extent these motifs
and functions as well as the cultural, political, and social surroundings are reflected in the
actual translations. These micro-level analyses are complemented with macro-level
analyses, which trace the development of the short story in Germany and Canada as well as
the history of Canadian literature in German translation.
Regarding its methods, this study uses an interdisciplinary approach, which
incorporates three disciplines, namely linguistics, literary studies (specifically intertextual
studies), and translation studies. The field of linguistics contributes (critical) stylistics
(Sandig 2006; Jeffries 2010) and (critical) discourse analysis (Fairclough 1989 and 2001;
Gee 2011b), the field of literary studies provides Gérard Genette’s paratext concept (1987),
and the field of translation studies contributes Katharina Reiss and Hans Vermeer’s skopos
theory (1984) as well as Itamar Even-Zohar’s polysystem theory (1990).
All in all, this study shows that translation in its broadest sense is an act of power,
which is able to transmit, emphasize, or reflect potentially ideological or stereotypical
concepts. At the same time, translated literature is itself influenced by its powerful
surroundings, which it reflects. Similarly, however, these surroundings are also able to steer
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the import of translated literature since literary imports usually fulfill certain functions in
the receiving literary polysystems.
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PREFACE
This dissertation is an original work by Barbara Pausch. The interview project, which is
part of this work, received research ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research
Ethics Board, Project Name “The Role of Translation in the Transmission and
Reproduction of Ideologies and Power Struggles – English-Canadian Short Story
Anthologies in German(y), 1967-2010“, No. Pro00041168, September 9, 2013.

An earlier version of chapter three has been published as “Anglo-Canadian Short Story
Anthologies in German(y): 1967-2010“ in Theory and Practice in English Studies
(THEPES) 6.1 (2013): 39-53.
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To Anton & Erika
and Mark & Katharina
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my supervisors at the University of Alberta, Dr. Carrie Smith-Prei and
Dr. Anne Malena, for their poignant classes, their invaluable comments and suggestions,
their support and encouragement, the inspiring discussions which shaped my work
throughout the entire process, and for the countless emails that they sent across the Atlantic.
I would also like to thank my external supervisor at the LMU in Munich, Prof. Dr.
Hans-Jörg Schmid, for his comments and advice, the thought-provoking discussions, as
well as for agreeing to participate in the adventurous endeavor of a joint degree program.
Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to the MLCS department at the
University of Alberta. Thanks for the stimulating classes, the friendly staff, and the
inspiring atmosphere!
Thank you also to the SLUB Dresden for its extremely helpful and friendly staff and
for letting me borrow piles of books without which I could not have completed this project.
I would also like to thank translator Peter Kleinhempel for many a helpful idea and
for sharing his interesting insights into GDR translation with me.
Moreover, I am very grateful to my parents for their continual support during my
entire time at the university from day one to the completion of my PhD. According to
Goethe, there are two things that children should get from their parents: roots and wings.
Thank you for giving me both and for encouraging me to explore the world.
Finally, I would like to thank Mark for accompanying me on my five year PhD
journey. Thank you for being there for me during all the ups and downs, for always having
a sympathetic ear for my thoughts and doubts, for grounding and reassuring me whenever
the doubts gained the upper hand, and for being my bastion of calm.
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Barbara Pausch – Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ii
PREFACE iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF FIGURES x
INTRODUCTION 1
The Corpus – An Initial Framing of the Translations and Paratexts 6
Structure 16
CHAPTER 1: Length Matters – The Development and Status of the Short Story in
Canada and Germany 18
Introduction 18
The English-Canadian Short Story: Pre-Confederation Era to Turn of the Twentieth Century 19
Early Twentieth Century to 1967: From Modernism to the Centennial Celebrations 24
1967 to the New Millennium: Explosion of Talent 29
The Short Story Form: Some Theoretical Remarks 35
The German Short Story from the Late Nineteenth Century to 1945: From Birth to Censorship 44
1945 to Early 1950s: A New Beginning 51
1950s to 1980s: From Innovation to Schools to Decline 59
1990s to the New Millennium: A New Revival and New Developments 63
Conclusion 66
CHAPTER 2: Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries – Methodology and Themes 67
Introduction 67
Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries 67
Polysystem Theory 76
Paratexts: Literary Thresholds 88
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Barbara Pausch – Table of Contents
Skopos Theory 96
Discourse Analysis and Stylistics 106
Conclusion: Language and Power – Concepts of Power 115
CHAPTER 3: Good Storytelling – Canadian Literature in German/y 119
Introduction 119
Nineteenth Century to Mid-Twentieth Century: First Translations 120
1970s: “Canadian Literature Does In Fact Exist” – But Is Not Accessible Everywhere 127
1980s: Growing Interest in Canada – Canadian Women Writers Pave the Way 138
1990s: Increasing Numbers of Publications – New Aspects 147
New Millennium: New and Expanded Perspectives 155
Conclusion 157
CHAPTER 4: The End Justifies the Means… – The Functions and Skopoi of the
Paratexts and Anthologies 160

Introduction 160
The Anthologies’ Paratexts – More Than Mere ‘Props’ 161
Solitude, Canadianness, Multifacetedness – The Paratexts of KEdG, ME, and Ke 166
Novelty and Contemporaneity – The Paratexts of SfC and KudR 179
Problem-Free Travel Destination, Religion, Problem-Laden Capitalist Society – The Paratexts
of DwR, GW, and RnK 184
Conclusion 198
CHAPTER 5: The Paratexts – More Than Mere Additions 200
Introduction 200
KEdG (CH, 1967): “It has been known since 1962 that the country consists of two cultures” 201
SfC (FRG, 1969): Canadian literature as “virgin territory” 209
DwR (GDR, 1974): “A country of major unresolved problems and social conflicts” 212
ME foreword (FRG, 1976): Canada – a new home “for countless emigrants from the
‘Old Europe’” 222
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Barbara Pausch – Table of Contents
ME introduction (FRG, 1976): “a feeling of imminence, of exposition is deeply rooted in the
Canadian psyche” 224
GW (GDR, 1986): “The Christian faith has struck deep roots in Canada” 233
Ke (FRG, 1992): “Canada is always both this and that” 238
KudR (GDR, 1992): The short story – “most interesting and dynamic genre of Canadian
literature” 243
RnK (CH, 2010): “Travelling in Canada is spectacular” 250
Conclusion 255
CHAPTER 6: Analysis of the Translations 258
Introduction 258
Frederick Philip Grove: “Snow” (1926/1932) – Tragedy and Rawness 260
Morley Callaghan: “Two Fishermen” (1934) – Provinciality and Victims 266
Sinclair Ross: “The Lamp at Noon” (1938) – Isolation and Solitude 271
Hugh Garner: “One, Two, Three Little Indians” (1950) – Poverty and Disease 276
Douglas Spettigue: “The Haying” (1953) – Incomprehension and Death 284
Hugh Hood: “Flying a Red Kite” (1962) – Epiphany and Buoyancy 289
Alice Munro: “Boys and Girls” (1964/1968) – Conservatism and Gender Roles 294
Eric Cameron: “The Turning Point” (1966) – Prejudice and Emancipation 302
Farley Mowat: “Walk Well, my Brother” (1975) – Wilderness and Camaraderie 310
Conclusion 315
CONCLUSION 319
BIBLIOGRAPHY 326
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Timeline of the Anthologies 15
Figure 2: My Interdisciplinary Approach 75
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