Advice for translation of motorcycle journey books into different kinds of English
 

Hello,

Can't really help with the content I'm afraid I find "what I did on my holiday" type books hard to read.

US English is perfectly readable to an English reader. If you believe the writer is American you would understand the use of fender instead of mudguard, trunk instead of topbox and so forth. It only really grates where you can see an editor has been at work and tried to dumb it down for a perceived audience by translating the translation.

I work with many Germans and would say there is actually German English too. Some of it depends where teachers were from I guess but again perfectly understandable. I would actually suggest doing the first draught yourself and getting someone to check over it. The content is the most important part. I've seen many documents ruined by translators who don't get the content. I did have a hilarious sidecar article that would have ended up in horse rider magazine. Gespanne translates as outfit (UK) or rig ( US) but definitely not "team". I would expect hardly anyone outside bikes to get this.

Use of the word rocker is interesting. If you are thinking of someone from the 1950s with a leather jacket and a Vincent it may be a good phrase. If we are thinking hell angel look alike, biker might be the better word both US and UK. Biker in the UK can also be anyone on a bike. I think you will get this better than a language graduate. Don't worry though, if the content fits and the reader knows you are a German it works either way.

Andy

You could publish customised versions for each market rather than a catch-all that annoys everybody. Simply chose a master version for the original script - US English say, and then get a literate Brit, Aussie etc to go through it and pick out their linguistic niggles. Word will easily change every "fender" to "mudguard", "trunk" to "boot" etc. The thing to watch out for is that the same word has different meanings - the US "fender" in the UK is a kind of balloon thing to cushion boats against a jetty (apart from being a guitar company)

A book I wrote a few years ago used real people's names so I could remember who did what and I changed them all to fictitious ones in about half an hour for the public version. Compared to how long it takes to write a book that sort of stuff is very quick.

Re "Rocker" - in the UK it's normally only used in the context of being the opposite of Mod. Mods and Rockers were a mid 60's cultural phenomenon, the Mods wearing parkas and riding scooters to coffee bars, the Rockers wearing leather jackets and riding BSAs, Triumphs, Nortons etc to transport cafes. These days a Rocker would be someone emulating (or reliving) that look. There are a few words / phrases in use these days to describe someone riding a motorcycle (some of them even avoid four letter words :rofl:) but biker is probably the most common.

I know a few motorcycle travel writers and get the impression that the biggest market for their books is the UK, Europe, Australia/New Zealand then the US, this would suggest to me that British English would be the preferred choice although I am sure either would be acceptable as it is the quality of writing that really matters.

Is the German version successful in the German speaking parts of Europe? If not, don't bother with considering an English version for the English speaking parts of the world.

I'd be surprise if your motorcycle travel book will have such a large target audience to justify different English versions for UK/Australasia/North America.

I wish you all the best in your venture. I just hope you know how to write something interesting. Lots of my m/c-contemporaries' books are boring as hell. Why: Because they might be great people and able to write in the medium of English (as I can), but can't tell an interesting story in written form (like I can't).

Of the 10 or so bike travel books I've read, 2 were excellent (Jonny Bealby's Running with the Moon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Running-With.../dp/0099436655 and Robert Fulton's One Man Caravan http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1884313051 ), 2 or 3 others were so so and the other half only good for lighting a fire. I've since given up buying biker's travel books.

You then also have to sell the book. Unless you have a publisher (or even despite having a publisher), think of how many bike meetings you have to attend and speak to people just because you want to flog them your wares, rather than just having an interesting conversation with a like minded person.

Thanks to all of you for your really helpful answeres.
Special thanks toThreewheelbonnie & backofbeyond for the explanation about rockers. Since we used the word much longer in Germany (takeover of biker started maybe a decade ago) I thought it would be still applicable in UK, too.

Panny

Hi Chris,

the German version is successfull over here. Otherwise I wouldn´t consider this timeconsuming project.
I have a clear understanding about the money and time and energy it needs to bring such a book or simular things forward. I made this kind of stuff to my profession after our rtw-trip. A profession, that hardly feeds me, but it gives me great pleasure. By the way: You are right about the limited target audience, that is shrinking every day to the advantage of DVDs.

Regarding the part "interesting story" - we have plenty of blog-like crap books over here, too. Let´s see how I will pass the test by you. I would love to hear your opinion. I´ll let you know, when it´s available in English.

Cheers

Panny

After I wrote my reply to your post above, I recalled we've spoken and I liked your attitude. You most definitely didn't try to sell me a book! :thumbup1: I was at the HU meet last October in Germany (Did a talk on Friday night too).

I'd love to read an interesting story again. I have a sticker of yours on one of my bikes: left bike, on windscreen top right next to the Mongolia and above the Kazakhstan ones :funmeteryes:

http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...02015%20v3.jpg

I'm also friends of Regina Mueller and Martin Haunold. I believe you know them too. I first met Martin at Wadi Rum in Jordan in 1999. It's a small world.

That´s it!
The world is a village - yes we met the HUBB rally 2014 + I know Regina and Martin. You left on Saturday for their private rally, didn´t you?

Cheers

Panny

Yeah, their Rally was great. Lots of fun people there too. I was a passenger in Martin's Africa Twin outfit.

I read German too. I'll order a copy of the book from your website and get it sent to my parents' address in Germany. I'll be there in 2 weeks.

Would be an honor for me - dedication included!

Panny

Filled out your online form just now. How do I pay? Please send me your PayPal or bank details via private message.

All the Best!

I think language itself is a small problem. It's not very expensive to translate a book. IMHO there will be more problems when it comes to culture and maybe humor. The US-writing style is different from the Norwegian, which is different from the German etc.

Generally I would say that the differences between European countries are less then differences between US-Europe. This is probably the main reason why I rarely read ride reports on advr.
Quite a few european books have been rewritten to fit the us-marked, if you find a good translator (s)he will give you some hints.

Not heard of Bealby. Ever heard of Dan Walsh?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m...252520Book.jpg
Different sort of MC travel book, nothing like it, more than a travel guide.

I've read dozens of MC travel books, even reviewed a few. Very few peak my interest but always appreciate the effort put in. Real work.

Of the thousands of ride reports on ADV Rider ... there are one or two JEWELS that are clearly Off The Wall. But wading through the 99.8% mediocre Horse shite to find the jewels is exhausting. doh

German to English: A good translator is key.
Quite a few German writers have done well in English markets:
Mann, Hesse, Boll, Ernst, Bueys ... to name but a very few.
bier

I know Dan. Never bought the book. His must have come at the time I had (probably unjustifiably in his case) given up on all bike-travel-authors' offerings.

The travel writing genre section in most bookshops is packed. And so much (to me) is fiction waiting to be pulped. When I am spending my hard earned cash I tend to steer towards authors I've liked in the past, like AA Gill, John Simpson and Tim Butcher, for example.

Apologies to the OP to being drawn into an :offtopic: discussion.