METM24 presentation

On translating historical sources: 16th and 17th century Spanish and Portuguese primary texts

Jeremy Roe, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain

Having translated and revised a variety of historical sources, from a 17th century art treatise to a trial hearing from the Inquisition of Goa, I have learned to accept such time-consuming projects with caution. However, they are also a fascinating way to hone skills and provide a showcase for professional work. In this presentation I draw on my experience as lead translator of the writings on iconography by the Spanish artist and scholar Francisco Pacheco, and as reviser of a volume of primary sources on Portuguese colonial history in Oman to examine how a collaborative approach is essential for projects of this nature. To explore this area of work in greater depth, I discuss my experience of translating a corpus of manuscript and published rutters (navigational instructions) related to the Philippines; above all, I address the challenge of working on texts written by 16th century navigators, with all their variant spellings and a noteworthy lack of punctuation. Finally, I will contrast two text genres – the Baroque cento and Inquisitorial trial records – to discuss how to tackle the issue of genre, the need for research skills and strategies for making these texts readable for a contemporary audience. The presentation is addressed to translators and editors who work on academic publications, and it will reflect on the growing interest in this area in academic publishing. It caters to experts at all stages of their careers, as it was this area of work that prompted me to train as a translator.

About the presenter

Jeremy Roe trained as an art historian. Teaching translation and translating a 17th century art treatise prompted him to pursue a career as a translator from Spanish to English, specialised in academic publications on the humanities. Over the last decade he also began translating from Portuguese and Catalan.