There’s a question of C.S. [a German translator]. Because there are differences between C.S. and T.K. [another translator] over the vocabulary to use. Three or four years ago already, when C.S. translated my first book, there was a whole discussion and you made certain suggestions. You said in particular that the word “mental” [mind] and the word “esprit” [spirit] should not be translated by the same word.
Of course not!
So various words were suggested for “mental” and “esprit,” and finally we had chosen two words: the word “Geist” for “mental” (if I remember correctly) and the word “Spirit” for “esprit,” although “Spirit” isn’t German. And now C.S. wants to impose the same terms on all the German translators and on T.K. in particular—but the other translators don’t agree.
How does T.K. translate “esprit”?
I don’t know.
Obviously “Spirit” isn’t so good, but isn’t there a word in German for “Esprit”?
I believe they use the same word for “mental”: “Geist” and “Geist.”
How awful!
(silence)
We should find out what T.K. is using, because…. Using the same word is out of the question.
But T.K. may not use the same word because she has a totally different vocabulary.
Yes, but we should find out what it is.
We have Germans here, don’t we?
They can’t agree with one another! (laughter)
So what are we going to do?
I’ll ask T.K. what she is using.
Yes.
But I feel C.S. should be told he can’t dictate.
No, he can’t dictate. How can he?… Moreover, he doesn’t have the means.
For example he said that since he has a book-sales office, he would refuse to sell any book using a different terminology!
That’s absurd.
What should be done for these books is to put a note in, to insert a note in each book saying that this particular word used here corresponds to that word used in the other books—to let people know. Because if it’s the same word as “mental,” that leads to terrible confusion—terrible, the worst confusion. There has to be a distinction, it’s imperative: either T.K. has to put a note or…. Because you see, if they put “mental” for both words, or even another word that means the same thing, it distorts the teaching immediately. It immediately creates terrible confusion.
In any event, there should be a note explaining that the word is taken in a particular sense.
Evidently, C.S. wanted to use the same vocabulary in the other book as the one he used in “The Adventure of Consciousness.”
That’s reasonable enough.
Yes. Only I think T.K. very much objects to the use of the word “Spirit,” which is not German.
I don’t like it either.
But is German such a poor language? Isn’t all this ignorance on their part?… They could take a word that isn’t a common word and give it a special meaning—and then, put in a note the special meaning they’ve given the word. But to use a word that means “mind” is crazy, it immediately distorts the teaching.
Yes. The trouble is that the word they use for “spirit” is the word generally used for “mind.” So, if it is left exclusively to mean “mind,” they don’t have anything for “spirit,” but if they use it exclusively for “spirit,” it may be interpreted as “mind.”
No, they should put a note.
But don’t they have another word for “mind”?
I don’t know what T.K. is using, but some people have made up the word “mental” (I believe “das Mental,” I don’t know exactly).
As long as the distinction is clear enough…. It has to be explicit.
All right, Mother.
It should not be left to people’s intuition: explicit.
(Mother raises her arms in a heavy gesture, then goes within)
***
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