Translation of a novel by a non-native speaker - an impossible task?
Lesley Clarke Mexico Local time: 11:56 Partial member (2005) Spanish to English
I don't think Conrad translated into English
Jan 8, 2010
There are notable writers who have written, published and are highly rated in a language that is not their native language, but I think we are talking about different skills.
To write a novel, one thinks in the language you are writing in, choosing the words and expressions from that language that suit. To translate, you take phrases and expressions that are native to another language and render them into another language so that they sound natural in that language, while at the same time, reflecting the author's original intention. I would argue that such a task requires greater linguistic skills than the original creative process does.
Though whether the category of non-native speaker still applies to someone who has spent most of their life in a country where the target language is spoken is debatable and probably depends on the individual.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
philgoddard United States Local time: 11:56 German to English + ...
.
Jan 8, 2010
One thing's for sure: if the questions on KudoZ are anything to go by, there are thousands of people making a living by translating out of their mother tongue and in many cases making a hash of it. Like it or not, there is a market for these translations - they get the message across, which in many cases is all that matters - and the internet is littered with them.
[Edited at 2010-01-08 23:43 GMT]
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
DVX2 Professional is the most popular version of Déjà Vu X2 and with good reason. Fast and flexible, Déjà Vu X2 Professional combines Atril’s Intelligent Quality technology with an array of powerful, customisable productivity and quality assurance
SDL Trados Studio 2011 is the latest market-leading translation memory software from SDL. Now with Track Changes, Bilingual Word Files support, new Display Filter, AutoSuggest and more great details.
The translation workplace 
Translation news