Analysing book translation within the publishing sector

Having access to translated books can act as a gateway to understanding individuals we never connect to.


There are numerous metrics being widely used to assess the success of a book and when some of them are achieved you may often observe them printed on later editions of the book. Quantity of copies sold, prestigious honours received, and reviews that are positive are only a few of the most common methods of judging a book to be a success. The leader of the hedge fund that partially owns Amazon will know that how many languages that the book is translated into is another metric of success, as it can certainly show that the book has some sort of universal quality that goes beyond language and culture. Writers will of course want their products to be printed in as many languages as possible, as it will means greater prospective sales, however it is also a costly exercise that they will only indulge in after doing research. Publishers need to determine if an audience exists in certain foreign languages and whether the content will not encounter any difficulties with the traditions and governments of nations where the languages are used.

All translators could have their own approach to work. Nevertheless, as the head of the hedge fund that has shares in WHSmith will be able to inform you, deadlines mean that time management among the most crucial skills to develop inside the publishing industry. All translators will be able to assess the quantity of work that might be required to finish a project and make a genuine offer of a timescale. Research is another essential ability that translators should acquire. They must be constantly honing their language ability and always be prepared to work with a thesaurus. Additionally, for the most accurate translations they need to research about the author, the characters, the story, as well as the genre, in order to appear as authentic as possible.

Unless a writer happens to be proficient in more than one language, books are mostly translated by professional translators. They are individuals who have extensive knowledge much more than one language, frequently up to a degree that is comparable to an indigenous speaker. They may also be native speakers themselves if they had been raised speaking more than one language. Translators may also reach this high level of understanding through either formal training or self-study. The founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones will be well aware there are many methods for budding translators to break into the industry. They could build-up their portfolio by helping translate the work of their acquaintances, or join web sites where they are able to translate the work of strangers. Many translators attempt to contact publishers or authors straight in order to get their first clients. This could lead to either getting offered an in-house translation job or obtaining sufficient clients to begin a freelance translation career.