Kuka lyhensi Runotytön?

L. M. Montgomeryn Pieni runotyttö -kirjan käännöshistoriaa

• Vappu Kannas Helsingin yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30665/av.74962

Abstract

Who abridged Emily? Translation history of L.M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon in Finnish.

L.M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon (1923) was first translated into Finnish by I. K. Inha in 1928 and it has remained a popular book in Finland ever since. This article examines the translation history of Pieni runotyttö, the Finnish rendition of Emily of New Moon. Inha’s original translation was revised in 1961, as were the sequels, Emily Climbs (revised 1964) and Emily’s Quest (revised 1965). Who made the revised translations is not known, but I suggest that it was most likely Inka Makkonen, the then head of the children’s literature department of WSOY, one of the biggest publishing houses in Finland.

In addition to looking at a specific translation and its history, the article problematises the cultural significance of translating children’s and young adult literature. Lack of prestige might be seen in the fact that the revised and abridged Finnish translations of Emily of New Moon, for instance, have not been previously studied. However, retranslations and revised translations should in general be analysed more critically, also when it comes to children’s literature, because they reveal historical translation tendencies, tell about our attitudes toward a particular genre and also shed light on how books change in translation. The article suggests that the genre and target audience of Emily of New Moon changed significantly with the revised Finnish editions, from a (young) adult novel to a children’s book and from adult readers to children, especially girls.