Los libros españoles del harlequin tienen 25 páginas menos que los libros ingleses del harlequin. Obviamente, algo se acorta en los libros españoles.¿Cuáles son exactamente las diferencias entre los libros españoles e ingleses? ¿Se modifican qué párrafos?

Mi amiga Isabel del yahoo grupo harlequineras decidía aprender más. Ella comparó un libro viejo en inglés y español.

The Spanish versions of Harlequin books have 25 pages less than the English versions. Obviously, something is shortened in the Spanish books. But what, exactly, are the differences between the Spanish and English books? What modifications are done to the paragraphs and passages in the book?

My friend Isabel from the Yahoo Group Harlequineras decided to learn more. She compared an old Silhouette Desire book (and its Deseo counterpart).

"The Cowboy Takes a Wife" by Joan Johnston. Translation from the original English book into Spanish by Isabel. (Necesito un marido, Deseo 701). Autora: Joan Johnston. Traducción del libro inglés, por Isabel.

Desiree Parrish había estado observando disimuladamente a Carter Prescott durante la representación de Navidad. Por eso, vio el momento en que apretó la mandibula, cerró los ojos y apretó los puños como si le doliera. Un brillante viso de lágrimas refulgió en sus oscuras pestañas.

...

Desiree se alarmó cuando salió para descubrir que su presa había desaparecido en la noche, oculto por la constante y apacible nevada.

Buscó freneticamente por el parking de la iglesia, corriendo por la esponjosa nieve en la direción que llevaban las huellas de sus pisadas, asustada de que él huyera antes de que pudiera hacerle saber su proposición

The actual translation in the Harlequin Deseo (Spanish version) of the book, as done by the translators working for Harlequin. Lo que en el Harlequin.

Desiree Parrish había estado observando a Cárter Prescott disimuladamente durante la representación teatral alegórica de la Navidad. Por eso, notó cuando él apretó la mandíbula y cerró las manos en dos puños mientras unas lágrimas brillaban en sus pestañas.

...

Al salir, se alarmó al descubrir que él había desaparecido en la noche, escondido bajo la continua caída de nieve. Se dirigió rápidamente al estacionamiento, temerosa de que se marchara antes de poder proponerle el trato.

Las diferencias entre las dos traducciones no son grandes, pero algunas frases descriptivas se quitado en la traducción del harlequin.

En algunos libros españoles del Harlequin, partes más grandes del libro pueden ser quitadas. Sin embargo, la historia es generalmente igual y el libro es agradable.

Me fascinaron con las comparaciones de estas dos traducciones españoles. Decidía traducir los párrafos del libro español a inglés.

The differences between the two translations are not great, but some descriptive phrases are removed in the Harlequin translation.

In some Spanish versions of Harlequin books, more parts might be removed. However, the story is generally close enough and the book is still enjoyable.

I was fascinated with the comparisons between these two Spanish translations. So I decided to translate the Spanish version of the book back into English!

The original version in English, "The Cowboy Takes a Wife" by Joan Johnston (Necesito un marido, Deseo 701). Autora: Joan Johnston.

Desiree Parrish had been secretly observing Carter Prescott throughout the Christmas pageant. So she saw the moment when his jaw tightened, when he closed his eyes and clenched his fists as though he were in pain. A bright sheen of tears glistened along his dark lashes. Moments later he rose from the back pew in which he sat and quietly, almost surreptitiously, left the church.

...

Desiree was alarmed when she stepped outside to discover her quarry had disappeared into the night, hidden by the steady, gentle snowfall. She frantically searched the church parking lot, running through the fluffy snow in the direction his footprints led, afraid
he would get away before she could make her proposition known to him.

My English translation of the Spanish version of the book. Versión española del libro traducida a inglés.

Desiree Parrish had been secretly observing Carter Prescott throughout the Christmas pageant. So she noticed when he tightened his jaw and closed his hands into two fists while tears shone on his eyelashes. Moments later, he rose from the last pew in which he sat and quietly and surreptitiously left the church.

...

When leaving, she was alarmed to discover that he had disappeared into the night, hidden by the continuous snowfall. She went quickly to the parking lot, afraid that he had left before she would be able to make her proposition to him.