Even a famous album title like Lust for Life, doesn't sound all that sexual to me...

Besides, in Roman translations I guess "lust" would be replaced by Spanish/Italian etc versions of "desire" - which brings us right back to where we're at..

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 10/05/10 at 13:27:50:


Hmm, my point is that "lust" (German) does NOT equate with "lust" i(English). The word is much stronger in English, with added sexual resonances.

It was the decision, not of Nimzowitsch himself, but of his first translator (Philip Hereford) to use "lust" in his English version, giving us an admittedly striking phrase ("lust to expand") but not exactly what Nimzowitsch intended, I'm sure!

I am curious how the term "expansionslust" has been translated into other languages, such as Spanish, French or Russian.

Gorath wrote on 10/05/10 at 09:14:11:


Thanks for the clarification!

Of course, "lust" can also be used in a non-sexual way in English, e.g. "lust for power" but it has always "rung false" to me in the chess context.

Of course, anthropomorphism is quite common in chess writing (e.g. "listen to your pieces") but describing the natural tendency of pawns to advance as "lust" has always seemed to me to be an inappropriate translation.

So how would you suggest translating "Expansionslust" in the chess context?

sagwa wrote on 10/04/10 at 12:52:31:


I admire both Watson (the reviewer) and Aagaard (the publisher) but it's perhaps worth remembering that there have been disagreements between them before.

I do think that to some extent the new translation for Quality Chess was a missed opportunity to produce a definitive modern English version. It was a difficult challenge however, as others have noted, since Nimzo's German is definitely a bit quirky.

However, I would not be too harsh. The Quality Chess version is perfectly usable. It is perhaps worth noting that, according to the introduction, the latest 2010 edition contains some "minor modifications",  - perhaps in response to some of the criticisms

Finally the Quality chess version is physically a nice book to use and I am pleased to have bought a copy.

PS The latest version still contains the famous, but to my mind very odd, phrase "lust to expand" (of the passed pawn). The German "Expansionslust" means something like "desire (or will) to advance" - I don't think that "lust" in German has quite the same sexual resonance as in English, but perhaps someone more expert can verify this.

Nimzowitsch wrote a colourful German, difficult to translate. I don't know a good English translation of "Mein System". You might just learn German and read the original.

Alias, unfortunately I have ordered the edition that Watson says is inferior. 

Sagwa

If you can read German, the latest revision from ca. 3 years ago is probably the edition of choice.