Book Translation- An important transition in a writer’s journey

Book Translation- An important transition in a writer’s journey

Literature is the thread that weaves the global landscape together. Ever since the human civilization started to document its life, learning and environment, we are in a constant look out to understand the world as perceived by various civilizations. In the modern era this curiosity has seeped into the web world and today we have an access to infinite literature from the entire world.

Words have the power to hold together the diverse cultures, values, and capture the vastness of one’s dreams. It’s amazing to note that even though various books are written in native languages and often created only for a handful number of readers they attain cult following throughout the globe. Writers like Leo Tolstoy, Rumi, Haruki Murakami write in their native language which may or not be the language of their readers. However, their works are translated in various languages so that readers of any language can capture the essence of these mesmerizing writings. Translation is the gateway to a world created by a writer for readers worldwide.

Translation services are important for a writer as well as the reader. The information and knowledge can be shared around only if it’s available in a language of reader’s choice. Even though a writer’s work is best published in their language of preference it gains immense popularity and use only if it’s available in readers’ language of preference. With the onset of E-books and kindle reading, everyone has a platform to showcase their work globally. However this work can deserve praise only if it can have an edge over its competition. You have to make your content available in such a way that a reader doesn’t have to sit with a dictionary throughout his reading.

A good book has to travel and should cross oceans to travel into far and distant lands. This is when the role of a professional translation provider becomes utmost important. With professional translation of books into various languages the writer can be rest assured that his words do not lose their meaning in translation. It has been observed that various academic and non-academic books are often hampered by poor translation, sometimes the message is totally lost or reversed while translation. You should make sure that you hire expert and professional translators.

There are certain languages that hold minute nuances and thus translation to and from such languages becomes a hustle. In this scenario one must understand that even though these nuances can come across as difficult they can’t be translated into generic terms. Japan is a country that primarily focuses on technology and AI, it has immense modern day literature on topics related to human development, latest technology and software and Artificial intelligence. Apart from this it has a huge fan base for its Manga amongst comic readers and a rich history. The content flow from this country is huge and continuous. This academic and fantasy writing is in huge demand worldwide, however due to the lack of Japanese to other language translation this is a lucrative market for translation. The country also consumes literature on an equally high rate thus writers worldwide should look to translate their work in Japanese language.

Other languages like Arabic, Russian, Hindi, French and Spanish are amongst the major languages opted for book translation. Translation in these languages has to be done by also understanding the cultural diversity of these countries. The western, eastern and southern cultures are drastically different in various terms. A book translation agency should keep in mind these differences before creating a final version, the draft of translated book should be made in order to make the required changes in its linguistic and cultural differences. It’s important to note that certain academic papers and books written by various industry pioneers should not be changed as per the whims and fancies of the translator. If the translated work doesn’t focus on the meaning and context of every word utilized by the writer he may give an average or poor result. A translator shouldn’t create any different version of the book provided, he has to be accurate, flexible, and professional and adapt the writer’s style of writing.

A prime concern for various authors is piracy. A professional book translator provides full proof security to the work given to him from any third party. With the use of various safety and security software one must ensure to that the hard work poured by the writers in creating their work will not be utilized in wrong manner. Nobody longs for any legal problems associated with their work, so the translators must put in efforts to determine the work they render isn’t plagiarized or leaked.

Collaboration is vital for translation of long term projects like books. A translator needs to understand your writing and your needs clearly. To attain this he also needs access to your thought process and gain a comfort level to be able to discuss word interpretation and context with the writer. If a writer and translator have worked on multiple projects together they are in synchronization and it’s easier for the translator to produce work that meets the writer’s standard. This process is efficient it saves time, money and energy of both parties as they know what they are aiming for without beating around the bush.

A writer should map out his targeted languages, with a thorough research of market trends, international sales and trending genres in different areas, the writer should have a template to be worked on. Certain regions are highly competitive for specific genres and often churn out high sales. If you look at trends it’s observed that some writers get immense popularity in certain countries or areas while in others they are relatively less known. This gives you an idea about the trend of those specific areas, making it easier for you to decide and narrow down specific languages for you.

Book translation in local Indian languages is also important to enhance your reader base. In the recent days local stories, folklores and traditional knowledge has been out on front pedestal of grasping a country’s knowledge and culture. For both researchers and writings folklores and traditional knowledge give them a glance of our rich culture. Unfortunately, in many scenarios this knowledge gets lost for the lack of translation into mainstream languages. Professional translation providers in India are looking to translate these books into various languages for the mass to have a better understanding of the mysteries held in Indian history. Over time, several writers are also looking to penetrate the local Indian market by targeting local language readers and thus opting for book translation in regional Indian languages like Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Telugu, etc. When every commodity is being globalized and getting sold on international platform, books translated in multiple foreign and Indian languages hold the highest capacity of getting recognized worldwide. Global acclaim for a book is not only an important transition in a writer’s journey but also helps their readers gauge insights of the rich diverse culture around the world.

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