February 2004 Chronicle
Focus: Literary Translation

Message from the President
Message from the Executive Director

Creative Adaptation
By Nanette Gobel
The latest trend in entertainment and advertising—clients looking for “writers” rather than translators when they want to create foreign-language versions of scripts or ad materials. Take a look behind the scenes.

Operation “Knights Errant”: In Search of the Holy Grail of Visibility
By Anne Milano Appel
Aware of the difference between how they regard their own professional self-image and how others perceive (or do not perceive) them, a group of literary translators in Italy took a proactive step to promote their visibility.

The Two New Ways of Translating Proust into Spanish (Volumes II-III)
By Herbert E. Craig
A comparison of the two new Spanish translations of the second and third volumes of Marcel Proust, A la sombra de las muchachas en flor and La parte de Guermantes by Mauro Armiño and Carlos Manzano.

Very Punny: Translating Word Play in Literature
By Maureen Lucier
In literature, word play is sometimes crucial in setting the tone, developing a character, or advancing the plot. Can a theory of humor be helpful in the translation of various types of word play, such as puns, twisted clichés, and sonority (sound play)?

A New Series of European Classics in Translation for American College Students
By Tom Lathrop
Who would have thought that a resolve to improve upon the translation of a classic would eventually lay the groundwork for an entire series of European classics in translation?

Towards a New Model for the Evaluation of Assignments in the Study of Translation
By Richard Finks Whitaker

For students and instructors alike, formal instruction in translation involves meeting a number of intriguing challenges, among which is the worrisome and often burdensome practical matter of grading translation assignments. The present article details one approach to turning this problematic task into a positive learning experience for all involved.