Translation: A Guide to the Practice of Crafting Target Texts

This practical guide by two experienced translators and translation tutors explores aspects of time, context and culture in a range of translated literary texts, including novels, memoirs, poems and plays. Reflective analytical sections are complemented by a variety of practical tasks that reflect the book’s craft-based approach. Providing a dual focus on both analysis and creativity, this volume helps readers to develop two different skill sets required for translation: deconstruction and reconstruction.

To learn how to analyse or deconstruct a source text (ST), the tasks include translating and editing, comparison and analysis of source language (SL) texts and translations, and critiquing or improving target language (TL) texts produced by translators from different times. A range of creative writing challenges reveal the secrets writers use to hook their readers. Whatever language readers translate into, these insights will help them to find their own writer’s voice, making them better equipped to recreate another author’s voice, whatever the time or cultural context.

This is the essential guide to improving target texts for all translators and students of translation.

Stella Cragie is a Qualified Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and is an ISO 17100:215-qualified translator. She was for many years a principal lecturer in translation at the University of Westminster, where she remains a visiting lecturer. She is also a freelance translator, working from French, Italian and Romanian into English. She was the lead author of the second edition of Thinking Italian Translation, published in 2016, and of Thinking English Translation, published in 2018, and has a special interest in art history and antiques.

Ann Pattison is a Fellow of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and is an ISO 17100:215-qualified translator. She has taught translation at the University of Surrey, London Metropolitan University and Imperial College and is a former senior lecturer in translation at the University of Westminster. She now works as a freelance translator, editor and writer. She was co-author of Thinking English Translation, published in 2018. Her novel Notes Out of Time was published on lulu.com, and she has compiled two anthologies of work by members of Sutton Writers. Ann has also had two plays performed in Sutton.