The art of literary translation - why you should trust professionals

Almost every day we read texts that are translations . We encounter translations in instructions for use, product descriptions, on websites and of course also in books.

Reading a novel that was transferred from a different language is always an interpretation of the original work . Because translation automatically also means interpretation. In the case of literary translation in particular, the narrative must be reinterpreted and thus to a certain extent also reinvented.

This is the only way to transfer them to another language at all.

What does translation mean?

Translation means transferring a text from a language to another language. What may sound simple at first is much more complex at second glance. Translation is not just about transferring a text word for word - it's about building a linguistic bridge. A distinction is made between translations of informative texts such as non -fiction books, but also instructions for use and translations of literary works.

While the former often manages with a rather mechanical word-for-word translation, literary texts are a lot more complicated. A successful literary translation not only has to reproduce the original accordingly, but also take into account the culture of the starting language, conscientiously the spirit of language .

This includes primarily language images and idioms , but also the grammatical idiosyncrasies of the respective language. Especially in the case of idioms, wording translations can quickly mislead. For this reason, the translator of a text is not just a translator, but also attentive reader, interpretator and ultimately the author of a completely new, own work.

A work that becomes a bridge between the languages ​​and thus also the cultures of the original text and the translation. Thanks to the translation, we are able to communicate with people from all countries around the world, with people from completely different cultures and even with people from different times.

The challenges of literary translation

A good literary translation is primarily characterized by the fact that it transfers a story into a different language precisely and accordingly. Like the original count, a translation should be read comfortably and smoothly and captivated the reader. It is crucial that the narrative in the reader causes similar feelings to reading the original count.

So that no completely new narrative arises, the translation should be based on the original and content as close as possible to the original and still take into account the idiosyncrasies and special features of the target language. In particular, idioms and wit differ greatly in most languages, which is why a literal translation would often not cause the desired effect in the reader.

Literary translation is characterized by the fact that the importance of history is adapted to the target language and its culture without moving too far from the original text. Successful literary translation is like a wire rope act. On the one hand, the translator should not translate to literally so that the liveliness of history is not affected. On the other hand, the translator should not move too far from the original text so as not to create a completely new story.

Can poetry be translated at all?

The greatest challenge is the translation of poetry . The spirits argue whether it is possible poetry sensibly without the work losing its identity. Because poetry lives particularly from the sound and rhythm of the respective language . Lyrical works are mostly rich in rhetorical means and often so complex and complex that a poem cannot be transferred to a different language without major losses.

, completely new poetry is usually created , which is adapted to the properties of the target language. When translating poetry, the translator has the choice whether he wants to stay as close as possible to the wording of the original, from which rhythm and rhyme of the poem often suffer.

Alternatively, the translator can choose a particularly artistic and creative translation and put the meaning of the poem into a completely new form that is adapted to the aesthetics of the target language. In this way, it is not uncommon for a completely new poem to be created, the content of which is strongly based on the original direction, but still has new peculiarities. Whether these cases are still translations or already new interpretations is another question.

Can the translator be replaced by artificial intelligence?

Machines and artificial intelligence play an increasingly important role in our everyday life. For translations, more and more people are also falling back on automated language services , the translation skills of which increase over time. Google Translate alone has about half a billion users every month and now translates from 109 different languages.

Artificial intelligence is able to transfer a text for word to another language, but this is not all that is important in a successful translation. Because translation is about the deep understanding of an entire text - about its relationships, ambiguities and linguistic images.

Even the most advanced computer programs fail . In order to skillfully translate a text, you have to be able to feel in it and understand it not only on the logical level, but also on the emotional level. Only in this way can what the author of the original text has experienced and felt when writing.

Professional have books translated by a certified translation office

To ensure that the translation of a book is really successful, it is worth contacting a professional. Each work requires a different approach to the process of translation. Successful book translations must always remain understandable to the target group.

Expert literature , which primarily serves information and training purposes, requires a translation that is as word-precise as possible in which the technical terminology is adhered to exactly. The translation of a children's book requires a completely different writing style than the translation of a specialist book to technology or medicine.

To have books professionally translated, you can contact certified translation office The translation office perfectly provides you with competent translators, which specialize in various specialist areas as literature translators and book translators. Depending on the topic, the texts of translators are transferred to the target language with the appropriate specialization.

Translations are exclusively by native speakers and then corrected by independent editors. The translation office perfect is your contact for literary translations, specialist translations of all kinds as well as translations of instructions and manuals.

An all -round successful translation of a text requires the deep understanding of the translator about the connections of the original text. He should know the linguistic peculiarities of the original language and last but not least a feeling for language as well as a certain degree of creativity and flexibility.

Regardless of whether it is literary translation or specialist translations - the translator must be able to dive deeply into the text and to understand it at all levels. Only then is he able to adequately transfer it to another language.