Candide, a book of satire of which the author, Voltaire, criticizes the thoughts of people and the ways of life in the world during the early 1700's, has been translated by different people. Since the original book was written in French, this work of art needed to be translated so the people of other languages could understand the composition. Translators Lowell Bair and Donald M. Frame put a significant amount of effort in interpreting the humorous woven tapestry of Candide. But, because translations can never be exactly the same depending on how the interpreter wants to rewrite the piece, translations seem to have slightly different meanings. Through differences in diction, syntax, and position of emphasis, the use of Irony is more effective in Frame's translation than Bair's translation causing Frame's translation to be more humorous.

The two translations of a quote in Candide are as written:

Candide, having served in a Bulgar regiment, went through the Bulgar drills in front of the general of the little army with such grace, speed, skill,

Candide, having served with the Bulgarians, performed the Bulgarian drill before the general of the little army with so much grace, celerity, skill, pride, and agility, that they gave him and infantry company to command. (Frame 34)

To begin with, there are differences in diction or word use between both translations. In Bair's translation, Bair uses "went through" in describing the Candide's demonstration of the Bulgarian drills. Frame, on the other hand, uses "performed." "Performed," which is only one word, is more concise than "went through" which are two words. Concision makes irony more effective because a more direct sentence is easier to understand and the reader will not get drawn from the sentence's meaning because of unneeded words. Hence, a reader would better understand Frame's translation of the quote from Candide, because the translation is concise causing the irony to be more effective making the translation more humorous.

pride and agility that he was placed in command of a company of infantry. (Bair 40)

First of all, the trope of irony is present in both translatio

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Approximate Word count = 737
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)