Customer Reviews

Experiences in Translation (Toronto Italian Studies)

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For anyone interested in how literary translation works, this is an appropriate place to begin. Eco writes in a clear, almost spare manner, mixing general observations with actual examples from his own works. The Name of the Rose. his most famous novel, is cited from the standpoint of the challenges it represented for his various translators, and William Weaver, who rendered it into English, comes in for special kudos. Experiences in Translation is divided into two parts. The first, "Translating and Being Translated," is the more interesting and will appeal to both experienced and fledgling translators. The second, "Translation and Interpretation," deals with semiotics and seems aimed more at specialists. The book is based on a series of lectures Eco gave in 1998, but the insights are timeless. Recommended.

Quality book, typical Eco. What's so difficult about translation? Isn't it really just a matter of synonymy between languages, or if not synonymy, then propositional content? Short answer: no.

For Eco fans, this is a must have book. Interested in language, translation, and interpretation? Clicky.