I've been too busy working on christmas presents to keep up fudhfhd but I just realized I FORGOR to post about the translations of Passepartout's atrocious pun after Fogg punches Fix! And uhhhh *checks the tag* yeeeowch it looks like we could use a little levity after All That.
These are taken from the translations I have copies of. If you know of any others please lmk.
Okay, so first, the french:
« Bien tapé! » s’écria Passepartout, qui, se permettant un atroce jeu de mots, bien digne d’un Français, ajouta : « Pardieu! voilà ce qu’on peut appeler une « belle application de poings d’Angleterre ! »
An overly literal translation would be:
"Well hit!" cried Passepartout, who, permitting himself an atrocious play on words, most worthy of a Frenchman, added, "By God! Here is what one could call a 'great application of fists of England!'"
In French, the phrase "poings d'Angleterre," literally "fists of England," sounds exactly like "point d'Angleterre," which is a type of needlepoint!
Unfortunately in English, the pun is completely lost. So how did the various translators render it? 🤔
Towle, being utterly incompetent, gives us a lazy literal rendition:
“Well hit!” cried Passepartout, “Parbleu! that’s what you might call a good application of English fists!”
At least he left out the part about it being a play on words? He even changed the chapter title, which should be "QUI PROCURE A PASSEPARTOUT L’OCCASION DE FAIRE UN JEU DE MOTS ATROCE, MAIS PEUT-ÊTRE INÉDIT," meaning "WHICH PROCURES FOR PASSEPARTOUT THE CHANCE TO MAKE AN ATROCIOUS, BUT PERHAPS UNPRECEDENTED, PLAY ON WORDS," but which Towle changes to "IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG AT LAST REACHES LONDON." I mean, at least he recognized his limits?
Henry Frith in 1878 (five years later) didn't do a whole lot better:
"Well hit!" exclaimed Passe-partout. "By jingo, that's a proper application of the art of self-defence!"
He calls the chapter, "In which Passe-partout uses Strong Language." Yeah, he spells it Passe-partout...for no particular reason? He does a lot of weird spellings, the Gutenberg edition actually has a note about that.
Frederick Paul Walter (the guy who made his translation of 20k Leagues Under the Seas freely available on gutenberg and whom, therefore, we stan 💖) gives us:
“Good punch!” Passepartout exclaimed, then like a true Frenchman he couldn't help cracking an outrageous joke. “By God,” he added, “that's what I call striking while the irony is hot!”
...which is honestly one of my favorites! The only problem is that it doesn't mention England, which I think is important when we're talking about Phileas Fogg. But still, it's actually a fucking pun! Which is also important when we're talking about Jean Passepartout.
He also correctly translates the chapter title as "WHICH GIVES PASSEPARTOUT THE CHANCE TO CRACK AN OUTRAGEOUS BUT POSSIBLY ORIGINAL JOKE." Love it.
William Butcher (he of the Freudian Analysis) manages to retain the reference to England:
‘Well hit!’ exclaimed Passepartout. Indulging in an atrocious pun, as only a Frenchman can, he added, ‘Pardieu! That is what you might call a fine English punch and judy!’
He renders the chapter title as "Which Provides Passepartout With the Opportunity To Make an Atrocious Pun, Possibly Never Heard Before." Excellent all around.
And the final translation I own, the Penguin Clothbound Classics edition translated by Michael Glencross, has:
‘Well hit!’ exclaimed Passepartout, who allowed himself an appalling play on words worthy of a true Frenchman, by adding: ‘Good heavens! That’s what I’d call a striking example of the benefits of an English education.’
I didn't like it at first, but honestly it's growing on me.
He gives the chapter title as "Which provides Passepartout with the opportunity to make an appalling but perhaps original play on words."
Quite a selection! Idk which is my favorite tbh.
