#lm 1.5

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Round 2, Matchup 25: I.v vs V.iii

Which chapter title do you prefer?

The Descent

The Mire, Yet the Soul

Voting ended onJun 9, 2025

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I.v.8 Madame Victurnien Dépense Trente-Cinq Fracs Pour La Morale

Which is your favorite translation of this chapter title?

Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty Francs on Morality

Madame Victurnien Expends Thirty Francs On Morality

Madame Victurnien spends Thirty-Five Francs in the Cause of Morality

Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty-Five Francs on Morality

Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty-Five Francs For the Sake of Morality

Voting ended onNov 1, 2024

And here we get to the Numbers Question! Our dear translators are split half and half over the correct amount of francs (it's 35) and interestingly, this is exactly divided between "Victorian" and "modern" translators.

Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty Francs on Morality: Wilbour, Wraxall, Hapgood

Madame Victurnien Expends Thirty Francs On Morality: Walton

Madame Victurnien spends Thirty-Five Francs in the Cause of Morality: Denny

Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty-Five Francs on Morality: FMA, Rose

Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty-Five Francs For the Sake of Morality: Donougher

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I.v.13 Solution De Quelques Questions De Police Municipale

Which is your favorite translation of this chapter title?

Solution of Some Questions of Municipal Police

The Solution Of Some Questions Connected With The Municipal Police

Solution of Some Questions of the Municipal Police

The Answer to Some of the Municipal Police's Question

Resolving Some Questions of Municipal Policing

Voting ended onNov 1, 2024

Two Translations of Shame! Old regulars Wraxall and Denny have, as is their wont, decided this title is too lengthy; Wraxall's got simply "The Police Office" while Denny opts for "At the Police Post"

Also, I'm wondering if second-to-last is a typo on my records-- unfortunately I can't access the translation at time of queueing but if anyone could confirm I'd greatly appreciate it!

Solution of Some Questions of Municipal Police: Wilbour, Walton

The Police Office: Wraxall

The Solution Of Some Questions Connected With The Municipal Police: Hapgood

At the Police Post: Denny

Solution of Some Questions of the Municipal Police: FMA

The Answer to Some of the Municipal Police's Question: Rose

Resolving Some Questions of Municipal Policing: Donougher

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Round 1, Matchup 15: I.ii vs I.v

Which chapter title do you prefer?

The Fall

The Descent

Voting ended onApr 18, 2025

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I.v.3 Sommes Déposées Chez Laffite

Which is your favorite translation of this chapter title?

Moneys Deposited with Laffitte

Sums Lodged At Lafitte's

Sums Deposited With Laffitte

Deposits with Laffitte

Money Deposited with Laffitte

Voting ended onOct 31, 2024

Moneys Deposited with Laffitte: Wilbour

Sums Lodged At Lafitte’s: Wraxall

Sums Deposited With Laffitte: Hapgood, Denny, Rose, Donougher

Deposits with Laffitte: Walton

Money Deposited with Laffitte: FMA

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Translations of Shame: I.v La Descente

On yet another episode of Denny is Quirky and Different and Not Like the Other Translations...

Denny is the only one not to translate this as The Descent, instead going for Degradation. Ah, Norman, you keep us on our toes.

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Volume I, book v: The Winners

To give the Volume 1 polls time to run through fully before starting on the next volume, I’ll be cataloging the winning translations/translators as well as some of my favorite observations on the posts!

I.v.1

This one was a win for Rose, with "A History of Progress in Black Glass Beads" getting 28.6%.

I.v.3

This one was pretty close, with "Sums Deposited With Laffitte" (of Hapgood, Denny, Rose, and Donougher) gaining a good amount of traction, but FMA's "Money Deposited with Laffitte" snuck out ahead with a 2.2% lead.

I.v.4

With a solid 49%, Hapgood and Walton's "M. Madeleine in Mourning" takes it.

I.v.5

To get a bit editorial here for a second, I love this chapter title a lot, and the winning Wraxall and Hapgood translation ("Vague Flashes On The Horizon", 59.2%) is the one I automatically go through, since I think it works so well. However I do have to say, I have a soft spot for Donougher's here. And if I had never started this whole translation comparison deal I might never've found that out!

I.v.6

Wilbour, Wraxall, Hapgood, Walton, FMA, and Rose's choice to translate this title in full as "Father Fauchelevent" won out over Denny and Donougher's choice to keep the French of "Pére Fauchelevent".

I.v.7

An impressive 90.5% of the vote for "Fauchelevent Becomes a Gardener in Paris" (as translated by Hapgood, Walton, Denny, FMA, Rose, ans Donougher). I expected that to win, but jeez, what a sweep!

I.v.8

FMA and Rose take this one, garnering 47.8% for "Madame Victurnien Spends Thirty-Five Francs on Morality". The biggest point here, though, is the oddness of a full half of the translations zorking up the numbers. @blatherby kindly checked the different French source texts, but determined they all had trente-cinque. Curiouser and curiouser.

I.v.9

A decently split race, but it's a W for the Ws, with Wilbour, Wraxall, and "Walton's Success of Madame Victurnien" getting the winning 30.4%. (I gotta say, I personally think folks were sleeping on FMA's great word choice here.)

I.v.10

Donougher's "The Consequences of Her Success" got 44.2% of the vote. I also want to point out our second ever 0% of votes! Congratulations to our good friend Norman Denny.

1.v.12

It was a battle between M. and Monsieur, but Walton's "The Idleness of M. Bamatabois" won with 49%. Also, our third 0%: Hapgood's "M. Bamatabois’s Inactivity".

I.v.13

Donougher wins, with 31.1% for "Resolving Some Questions of Municipal Policing".

And now the tally!

Wilbour: 2

Wraxall: 3

Hapgood: 4

Walton: 5

Denny: 1

FMA: 4

Rose: 4

Donougher: 3

A pretty decent spread! Honestly, the Walton W is kind of a surprise for me because his isn't super well known; it's partly to do with agreeing with other translators from time to time, but I'm happy to see some success from him.

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I.v.12 Le Désœuvrement de M. Bamatabois

Which is your favorite translation of this chapter title?

The Idleness of Monsieur Bamatabois

M. Bamatabois' Idleness

M. Bamatabois’s Inactivity

The Idleness of M. Bamatabois

Voting ended onNov 1, 2024

The Idleness of Monsieur Bamatabois: Wilbour, Denny, FMA (FMA has M.), Rose

M. Bamatabois' Idleness: Wraxall, Donougher (Donougher has Monsieur)

M. Bamatabois’s Inactivity: Hapgood

The Idleness of M. Bamatabois: Walton