Re: [OPE-L] Dieterich, "El paso al socialismo economico ...."

From: Paul Cockshott (wpc@DCS.GLA.AC.UK)
Date: Thu Mar 29 2007 - 03:57:03 EDT


You are right that having translation software speeds things up
a lot. The output that the software produces is rarely useable,
but it is   quicker to correct a translation with faults than
to do it from scratch.

I am working both from the Spanish and the German editions of his
book to get a good fix  on the meaning, but the German edition
has had a lot added so there are issues of which to take as
the authoritative edition.

Another person who should be translated into English is Arno Peters
his works
# Arno Peters, Konrad Zuse: Computer-Sozialismus - Gespräche mit Konrad Zuse. Verlag Neues Leben 2000. ISBN 3-35501-510-5
# Arno Peters: Das Äquivalenz-Prinzip als Grundlage der Global-Ökonomie. puk e.V., Göttingen 

are very interesting for their attempt to use the labour theory of
value to think through the process of transition from capitalism
to socialism. I have only translated the sections of them that Dietrich
quotes, but they deserve to be translated in their entirety.


Paul Cockshott

www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/~wpc



-----Original Message-----
From: OPE-L on behalf of Jurriaan Bendien
Sent: Thu 3/29/2007 6:51 AM
To: OPE-L@SUS.CSUCHICO.EDU
Subject: [OPE-L] Dieterich, "El paso al socialismo economico ...."
 
I would like to help with the translation but am not in a position to do it.
But, if you get a bit of good translation software, it won't be so
difficult.

I am just a helluva surprised that when socialists invest so much time,
money and energy in the Venezuelan experiment, they cannot translate key
writings of the policy makers and advisers, as if they can afford not to.

The problem seems more general, e.g. the leader of the Dutch SP said to me
he wanted some of his books translated into German, but as far as I know it
hasn't happened yet - even though the experience of the Dutch SP, a
fast-growing socialist movement, is very relevant and topical. I cannot do
that, I am not a native German speaker.

I have worked as translator on all sorts of projects, and basically it is
not usually regarded as a status occupation. Often the employer wants to
have the thing done fast at the last minute and so on, for as little money
as possible (I have been lucky with my main employers, but I am talking
about the industry generally). Nevertheless translation work is very
important, that is, if you want to really communicate. And the more
"globalised" we become, the more important good translation becomes. If you
don't have it, the press ends up talking bullshit.

Jurriaan


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