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Freud’s Witz in the Brazilian (re)translations: how to translate jokes, wits and wordplays

Abstract

This article proposes to discuss some aspects of translation of the three Brazilian versions (1950, 1977, 2017) of Sigmund Freud's Der Witz und seine Beziehung zum Unbewussten, whose first publication dates from 1905. Based on arguments presented during a debate between the Brazilian poet and translator Haroldo de Campos and the French translator of the work of Freud, Jean Laplanche, on the possibilities of translating the jokes mentioned by Freud in his book, different strategies adopted by the Brazilian translators are identified. Far from trying to present an exhaustive analysis of the different versions or a comparison between the original and the three (re)translations, it is argued that they are different approaches about certain aspects of the "original" work, all of them valid and potentially relevant to the Brazilian reader.

Keywords:
jokes; wits; translation; Sigmund Freud

Universidade de São Paulo/Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas/; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Língua e Literatura Alemã Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 403, 05508-900 São Paulo/SP/ Brasil, Tel.: (55 11)3091-5028 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: pandaemonium@usp.br