Navigating the Challenges of English into Spanish Translation in Literature

Art is tricky. Tricky to create, tricky to grasp freely, and trickier to translate into another language. Art is slippery and whimsical. And if the translator is not good enough, a work of art could turn into a garbage disposal tutorial. Just as easy. Of course, we need those as well, but not when the original text was written by Oscar Wilde. And no one would even care to read it.

Impossible Endeavour or a Feat only for the Great?  

Navigating and surmounting the challenges of English into Spanish translation in literature requires a combination of skills and talents. You need to bring to the equation linguistic expertise, cultural understanding, and creative power. These are the basics.  

First, a rock solid foundation in both English and Spanish is crucial. This includes the formal aspects of each language and many other little details. The basic “kit” involves grammar (both use and understanding), vocabulary, syntax, expressions, and more. Your best approach to keep your work languages alive is reading, writing, and practicing.

Reading is the most relevant prepping task of the three. You need to read as much as possible, in all the languages you know, from as many diverse authors as you can. But mainly, you need to read as many works as you find written by the author you are translating. Do an extensive research about the writer, both in professional and personal life.  

Literary translation includes both a technical side derived from translation itself, and an artistic side. The latter could take your work to a whole another level. And this is always a plus. When produced by a writer, literary translations become works of art in their own right. But, of course, there can only be one Cortázar to a Poe. And only one Borges to a Whitman. Do not let these outstanding creators discourage you. There is always room for excellence, and it could perfectly come from your work.  

In order to translate literature, you have to crawl under the skin of the author. This sounds creepy enough, but it is quite necessary. To produce a loyal translation, you need to master a deep knowledge of the author’s tone and style. The translation should resonate in your target audience just like the original does in its English-speaking readers.

Four Musts

Maintain consistency: Meet one of the cornerstones of a solid translation. Keep important information such as locations, character names, and cultural references consistent all around the whole text. Consider creating a brief glossary to assist you with uniformity. It could not hurt, in particular if you are working in a long project as a novel.

Respect Literary Devices: Literary devices such as ellipsis, metaphors, wordplay and similes elevate the text, and enhance the reading experience. Translation of these devices should be thoughtful and it should maintain deep, and superficial meaning. Thus, they will be as impactful as the original.

Be One with the Creative Process: Let it transform you. As a literary translator, you are entitled and trained to make artistic choices. Their goal is to carry the essence of the original work, and get it safely to a new port.

Respect Copyright always: When translating literary works, you need to request the applicable permissions, and give credit to authors and other professionals involved in the process.

Thick Skin for Feedback

Feedback can be useful if it comes from honest, and knowledgeable sources. Your best shot is to collaborate with colleagues, native readers, and editors to receive feedback from different viewpoints in the industry. In your way to produce the best possible translation, constructive criticism is a guest at your table. Do not try to choke him. If well intended and truthful, it can help refine your set of skills, and it could even guarantee a top-quality translation ready for the client’s eyes.

Above all, have fun, and be grateful. You are part of the team that keeps literature alive, and helps it travel all over the world to bless millions of lives. Perhaps even save a few.