# Le Palonnier



## Luder

Am reading a book by Panait Istrati in which he talks about a hamlet he calls "Le Palonnier." Istrati, who writes in French, often translates Romanian place names into French. Le Palonnier, he says, is a small hamlet on the road between Buzau and Râmnicu Sarat. I've looked at the road on Google maps and not seen anything that looks like it could have been translated as "Le Palonnier" (in English: tool yoke, rudder, or lift beam). Here are the towns I see on the map: Oreavu, Zilishteanca, Posta Calnau, Potâmicheshti. Does any one of those seem as if it could have become the French "Le Palonnier"?


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## farscape

In the Romanian (original?) version of Panait Istrati's novel, the place is called Cârligi (perhaps from cârlig/cârlige - hook/hooks).

The only places with that name are not even close to Buzău or Râmnic...

Upon a quick inspection I found that this is just one minor difference between the two versions. Enjoy your reading 

Later,

.


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## Luder

Istrati originally wrote his books in French and only later were they translated into Romanian (some of them he translated himself). I suppose the translator here chose the name "Cârligi" for its slight similarity to the French "Le Palonnier." It could also be that "Le Palonnier" is the translation of a locally used name that doesn't appear on official maps or has since been changed.

Thank you for the suggestion, in any case.


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## Trisia

This is more of a research question than a language one. 
Unless we get to check older maps, there's not much chance of telling what place he could have meant... for a moment there, looking at the map, I suspected one or two places closer to Râmnicu, but I really don't think I could identify it. I'll ask around to see if I find anything else.

Interestingly enough, on a religious website I found his birthplace as something completely different.


> La Bodeşti, lângă Hurezii Vâlcii, satul natal al haiducului Grozea,  oamenii abia dacă mai ştiu să îngâne câte un vers din balada lui… Iancu  Jianu, deprins de prin manualele vechi.


Source
There are several places with the name "Bodești", one is near Horezu, in turn near Râmnicu Vâlcea (not Sărat)... but the name doesn't have anything to do with your French original, as far as I can tell, and it's too far from Buzău to be it.

Unless it's the wrong Groza, it just may be that Istrati was making it up? No?... sorry then.


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## Luder

Yes, now that I know the meaning of Le Palonnier doesn't seem to correspond to that of any of the places on the Buzau-Râmnic road, it is more research than language question.

Istrati is a novelist, so he could have Groza come from any town he wanted, but I've read a lot of his books and his place names or his French translations of those place names (streets, hamlets, rivers, cities) always refer to real places. That's why I thought I might be able to find the Romanian name for his "Le Palonnier."


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## farscape

I found a quick study about the works of Alexandru Talex (the pen name of Atanase Alexandrescu)  the indubitable authority in translating Istrati’s novels in Romaninan.  I’m wondering if *Cârligi* was in his version of _ Haiducii_.

Best,

.


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## Luder

Thank you, farscape.


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