Identifying, mapping and translating the language-, identity-, and culture-related ‘rich points’ of a novel

Kim Eddy (Spain), Sarah Griffin-Mason (UK), Ailish Maher (Spain)

In this session in two parts, Ailish Maher first describes possible approaches to reading a novel (Un Calor Tan Cercano by Maruja Torres) for translation purposes, based essentially on identifying elements that may pose translation challenges and mapping these in relation to each other and the novel overall. Most importantly, “rich points” are identified that compose a kind of topographical map of the narrative terrain. Kim Eddy and Sarah Griffin-Mason then discuss how their collaborative approach to resolving translation challenges posed by the “rich points” in a crime fiction novel (Ira Dei: La Ira de Dios by Mariano Gambín) helped them extract the authentic flavour of the novel and transpose it into a second culture. Their presentation explores a range of examples from the text where points relating to language, culture and identity clearly benefitted from discussions between the translator, editor and author.
 
Kim Eddy is a freelance translator, language trainer and educational writer, with many years’ experience in all areas and based in the Canary Islands. She has recently completed her first literary translation project (a nail-biting crime novel, set on the island of Tenerife in the World Heritage City of San Cristóbal de La Laguna) and is very much looking forward to seeing it published in English.

Sarah Griffin-Mason (MITI) is a translator, editor and educator with 20 years of experience in the field, based in Portsmouth, UK. Sarah is Joint Chair of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) Professional Development Committee and she believes deeply that Continuing Professional Development is essential in increasing the professionalism of individual practitioners and the sector as a whole. She recently worked with Kim Eddy on the translation of the bestselling crime fiction novel Ira Dei – La Ira de Dios by Mariano Gambín

Ailish Maher, based in Barcelona, is a freelance translator and editor with over 20 years’ experience (mainly academic texts and EU reports). As a mature student she obtained a first-class honours master’s degree in translation studies and, through MET, has been inspired to pursue her interest, first, in translation revision and, more recently, in quotations. Her article on quotations is due for publication in Translation & Interpreting in June 2013.