Sixty years ago, in a volume titled Exercices de Style, Raymond Queneau first related a simple, unexceptional tale--in 99 different ways. As a haiku, a telegram, a word game, and an ode. As apostrophe, onomatopoeia, and parechesis. Even as interjections: "Psst! h'm! ah! oh! hem! ah! ha! . . ."
Now, you may ask, what would compel anybody to write 99 versions of the same dull story? As Queneau's English translator, Barbara Wright, explains, it's to explore "the possibilities of language. . . . He pushes language around in a multiplicity of directions to see what will happen." He does it, in short, because he can do it.
For the complete article, go to Copia: Raymond Queneau's Exercises in Style.
Comments
Dear Richard,
your contri was for me quite useful, as I was thusfar unaware of the existence of copia’s, featuring Erasmus’ one which I certainly will go to have under my eyes. Allow me to point you to an enterprise which I started a year ago or so to add 99 more variations (copia’s) to Q.’s original 99 ones. Helped by meanwhile 4 co-authros, one being a Londoner living since long in NL. Yopu might be able to get an impression by visiting the site”
http:nieuwestijloefeningen.blogspot.com
There you will find a Cockney version better than Barbara Wright’s praied translation, togehter with a translation of it into “noram English”.
Looking forward for a reaction,
all the best,
Piet