As a writer, translator and editor, I'm intrigued by the elegant ease with which fellow writers can let their worlds slip beyond their words – into the translator's world. Having translated books and over a hundred films, from Shakespeare to Hollywood classics, I'v seen how easily texts can get dented. Even destroyed. Or recreated well, but with no relevance to original. For example, as the editor of a translation, how far should we go to recover the world of the source text? In my experience, it's often best to forget the patch and start again from scratch.

How our world is reborn reborn is vital, granted. But does this principle translates into practice? As writers, how often do we actually do something about it? Sometimes we do. For example, a literary agency representing writers asked me to compare originals with their translation. On the authors' behalf. A good idea – or an angst-fueled afterthought to salvage our world once it's out? Can we be pro-active and work closely together with a trustworthy translator of our choice? Or even – can we attend to the rebirth?

The fate of Fateless, suggests we can and we should. Its story has a happy ending. Well, semi-happy. The Hungarian novel by Imre Kertész – nominated by its German publisher – did get the Nobel Prize. However, it has not taken off in English: its irony got lost in the translation.

Here 's the twist. The Nobel Prize-winning translation was not the first one. The author, also a translator of German, was dissatisfied with the first translation. And cared enough to persist until a new translation was commissioned, which he then proofread. This version got the Nobel Prize.

As for the English translation of Fateless? Again, at the author's persistence, a new translation has been commissioned. Caring, informed persistence can make all the difference when a writer's world gets a new lease of life in another language.

PS: Do you know of similar examples of writers getting new, successful translations commissioned of their work? Or ways in which they monitor the quality of the translation of their writing?
If you do, and care to share it, email it to Zsuzsanna on: ardo*at*pobox.com (*at* stands for @)

© Zsuzsanna Ardó 2004 www.ardo.org
Zsuzsanna Ardó, writer, linguist, translator/interpreter in English and Hungarian is currently editing a book for CUP, exploring how worlds are embedded in words across languages. Whether your language is mainstream or 'exotic', if you'd like to contribute an article on a word that poses an almost impossible challenge to the translator, get in touch with Zsuzsanna Ardó: ardo*at*pobox.com


By Zsuzsanna Ardó
A writer/broadcaster and translator/interpreter
(English/Hungarian, Hungarian/English)
Contact: ardo*at*pobox.com
www.ardo.org