Literary Translation Flashcards

What is the primary challenge of translating poetry?

Answer: Preserving meaning while maintaining rhythm, meter, and sound

Poetic translation must balance semantic fidelity with aesthetic qualities like rhythm, meter, rhyme, and sound patterns.

Who translated Miguel de Cervantes' 'Don Quixote' into an acclaimed modern English version in 2003?

Answer: Edith Grossman

Edith Grossman's 2003 English translation of Don Quixote is widely celebrated for its readability and faithfulness to Cervantes' voice.

What is 'foreignization' in literary translation?

Answer: Deliberately preserving source-culture elements to give the target text a foreign feel

Foreignization, associated with Lawrence Venuti, retains source-culture elements so the reader is aware of the text's foreign origins.

What does 'domestication' mean in literary translation theory?

Answer: Adapting the text to feel natural and familiar to target-culture readers

Domestication makes the translated text read fluently and naturally for target-culture readers by adapting cultural elements.

In literary translation, what is a 'ghost translator'?

Answer: An uncredited translator whose work is published under another's name

A ghost translator does the translation work but receives no public credit, with the named translator or author claiming the translation.

Which award is the most prestigious prize specifically for literary translation into English in the US?

Answer: National Book Award for Translated Literature

The National Book Award for Translated Literature, established in 2018, is the most prominent US prize for English literary translation.