A DESERT TEXT:

Originally published in 1978, the Hebrew translation of Dune--now in its 22nd printing (far more than any other Hebrew translation of a modern science fiction book)--is widely hailed by Israeli fans for its rich use of the Hebrew language, which reflects the vibrant mosaic of linguistic, cultural, and scientific elements in Herbert's original novel. Some Israeli fans even consider Lottem's translation superior to the original--an assessment that Lottem feels uncomfortable with when I ask him. The richness of his translation, he explains, comes from a simple principle that has always guided him.

"My method has always been to use a Hebrew term when such a term exists as a parallel to a term from a foreign language." As an example, he points to the term זחליל חולות (Zahlil Holot) which he used as a translation for the name of a mining vehicle in Dune, the Sandcrawler. While the translation is literal, the word Zahlil is uncommon in spoken Hebrew (it is used in Hebrew military terminology, in reference to tanks). "My guiding principle was to find Hebrew words that would make the text flow naturally. Herbert did not invent most of his terms; he borrowed them from different sources. I also did not need to invent many new terms for Dune." [...]

After making sure he got the job, Lottem was quick to share the news with colleagues, some of whom were also science fiction fans and volunteered to help. Notably, David Matnai, an expert in classic Arabic who went on to become one of Israel's leading diplomats, helped Lottem with the different Arabic terms--a major help as it turned out, since Herbert's own Arabic was not well developed. As Lottem recalls, Matnai remarked that "Herbert must have picked up most of his Arabic during a two-week vacation in Morocco."

One example of this problem occurred early in the book, when Paul Atreides passes the deadly Gom Jabbar test, which causes horrific pain to assess a subject's humanity, and the Reverend Mother who tests him calls "Kull Wahad!" in excitement. As Lottem explains, Hebrew readers, even if they don't know Arabic, will immediately recognize the meaning of the term as simply "each one," so he replaced it with the more proper Arabic enthusiastic exclamation, "Ajayeb."

In other places, deeper meanings of terms in the book sent Lottem to search for parallels in biblical sources. This is how the name of planet Arrakis' mighty sandworms was not simply translated as תולעי חול, or worms, but rather given the biblical name עקלתונים (Akalatonim) instead. "The English word 'worm' has deeper meanings--one of them is a reference to dragons," Lottem explains. "The Hebrew word for worm, תולעת, (tola'at) has no such connotations. But the Hebrew language is not particularly rich with names for mythical beasts. One such name comes from the book of Isaiah: לויתן, נחש עקלתון (Leviathan, the coiling serpent). It seemed appropriate, since the word Akalaton has wormlike connotations in Hebrew."

Another term with deep roots in Hebrew sources was used by Herbert himself in his novel: The title Kwisatz Haderach, referring to Atreides' status as the bringer of the next step in human evolution, actually comes from Talmudic term קפיצת הדרך (Kfitzat Haderech), referring to a quick miraculous passage from one place to another. How did a Hebrew term find its way into the mix of Islam and Zen Buddhism in Herbert's novel? According to Lottem, "Herbert did extensive research as a preparation for writing the book, and he needed a term that symbolizes the ability to be in several places at once--which is not 100% similar to the meaning of the Hebrew term, but is close enough."

Other elements bring Herbert's novel closer to the world of the Hebrew reader, notably the idea of a charismatic leader leading his followers in a jihad against the planet rulers--which I thought was an odd point of identification for Israelis in particular. Lottem does not see it this way: "I do not think of the book in terms of identification, but in terms of a story that's masterfully told." He also rejects comparisons between the book and current Middle Eastern politics: "The jihad Paul leads is different from what we currently think of as jihad. It is closer to the original meaning of the term--a conquest, yes, but one aimed at converting, rather than punishing the infidels." Lottem also points to the fact that Paul is very reluctant about leading any sort of jihad: "Paul rides the wave--he is not the wave itself. He appears to lead it, but he is actually carried by it. He sees how, under the existing conditions, the pressure on the Fremen (Dune's native people) is going to lead to an explosion; he attempts to control the explosion and fails. But one can certainly identify with a man who attempts to struggle not just against his own destiny but also against the fate of the people who adopted him, and fails."

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