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Translation in Practice: A Symposium
In February 2008, editors and translators from the US and the UK came together at the British Council in London to discuss best practices for the translation of literary works into English. This book comprises the results of that meeting.
88 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2009
85 people want to read
About the author
Gill Paul
53 books1,837 followersGill Paul is the international bestselling author of thirteen novels, many of them reevaluating extraordinary twentieth-century women whom she believes have been marginalized or misjudged. Her novels have reached the top of the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail charts, and have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown. The Collector’s Daughter (2021) was named a Times ‘historical novel of the month’ and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a “sweeping, evocative tale” and in The Book List as “Witty, emotional and intelligent”.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 25, 2016
A short, pleasant and interesting read for new translators as well as students of Translation Studies. It's more focused on the practicalities of the translation process and the market than most books out there.
October 20, 2017
For more accuracy, It should be titled "Literary Translation in Practice".
This quick-read acts as a companion to literary translators on the nuances of the profession. Not only does it point out difficulties in translation literature (such as humour, tone, cultural references, etc.), it also addresses those issues related to publishing translated works, the role of editors, drafting contracts and so on. An experienced translator might already be familiar with the technical aspects, but the hands-on tips are often on-point even for those already familiar with the publishing process.
This quick-read acts as a companion to literary translators on the nuances of the profession. Not only does it point out difficulties in translation literature (such as humour, tone, cultural references, etc.), it also addresses those issues related to publishing translated works, the role of editors, drafting contracts and so on. An experienced translator might already be familiar with the technical aspects, but the hands-on tips are often on-point even for those already familiar with the publishing process.
January 1, 2021
An interesting, quick read for translators - but specifically literary ones and those above my pay grade (which is $0). More on the ins and outs and best practices of working as a translator or editor in the publishing world. Though even I, as a non-fiction social movement translator, found helpful suggestions throughout, especially Chapter Four, "Translation Problems and Solutions."
February 16, 2019
Translation issues and problems are discussed in great detail in this book.
October 18, 2016
A solid yet brief overview of the literary translation process for newbies.
Good quotes:
As Palestinian poet and journalist Mahmoud Darwish puts it in the preface to Poésie: La terre nous est étroite: ‘The translator is not a ferryman for the meaning of the words but the author of their web of new relations. And he is not the painter of the light part of the meaning, but the watcher of the shadow, and what it suggests.’
Martin Riker believes that making a book that evokes the spirit and particular energy of the original has to take precedence over making a book faithful to the original. He says that translators sometimes worry that steering away from a literal word-for-word translation will ‘corrupt’ the original text but says the fact is that a work in translation has already been corrupted by the act of translation itself. The new work, the translated work, is already an interpretation of the original, and unavoidably so.
The translation should not preserve literal words and phrases for preservation’s sake. To treat a translated book in this way is to treat it more as a museum piece than as a vibrant literary work, says Martin. He urges translators to use their own creative writing skills to adapt the original.
‘If references are not obscure or difficult for the original audience, they should not be obscure or difficult for the new audience.' (Martin Riker)
Good quotes:
As Palestinian poet and journalist Mahmoud Darwish puts it in the preface to Poésie: La terre nous est étroite: ‘The translator is not a ferryman for the meaning of the words but the author of their web of new relations. And he is not the painter of the light part of the meaning, but the watcher of the shadow, and what it suggests.’
Martin Riker believes that making a book that evokes the spirit and particular energy of the original has to take precedence over making a book faithful to the original. He says that translators sometimes worry that steering away from a literal word-for-word translation will ‘corrupt’ the original text but says the fact is that a work in translation has already been corrupted by the act of translation itself. The new work, the translated work, is already an interpretation of the original, and unavoidably so.
The translation should not preserve literal words and phrases for preservation’s sake. To treat a translated book in this way is to treat it more as a museum piece than as a vibrant literary work, says Martin. He urges translators to use their own creative writing skills to adapt the original.
‘If references are not obscure or difficult for the original audience, they should not be obscure or difficult for the new audience.' (Martin Riker)
January 18, 2010
insights into the practice of translation.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews