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Literary Translation
"Authors make national literature, but translators make universal literature."
– José Saramago
A literary text has a predominant presence of aesthetics. Its form is as important as or even more than its content. There is an emphasis on connotative language use, so metaphors and metonymies are common. In it, new and different ways of seeing the world are presented by the use and play of multi-significant words that guarantee certain intangibility.
Examples of literary texts are short stories, tales, advertising texts, folk stories, song lyrics, poems, jokes, novels, and scripts - films, soap operas, and plays. Are there rhymes, puns or wordplay? Does the way words are displayed attract as much attention as the meaning of what is said? If yes, the text is literary, whether it's a book, a poem, an advertisement or a religious sermon.
Due to the variety of word meanings and the aesthetic refinement, literary translation demands that translators have, in addition to the usual grammatical and cultural knowledge, a deep sensitivity to convert the text without losing its form, rhythm, emotion, substance and interpretation.
To paraphrase Joy Harjo: while translating, the translator recreates the author numerous times. This recreation must take place as faithfully as possible so that the work maintains its purpose and impact. Thus, familiarity with genre and subject and the translator's willingness to get to know the author's work, motivations and goals, nuances and styles is essential. For this reason, at Glosses, we always look for translators who identify with the book's story. Furthermore, we believe that the best translations occur when the translator is genuinely engaged and interested in how and what the author is saying.
We offer literary translations of advertising campaigns, chronicles, and books (novels, short stories, etc.). Contact us for more information or a quote for translating your literary work.
Some important information:
As for the translation of books, we charge per word, like other translations, and we do not charge royalties. The translator's name must appear in the book. There is no need for the translation company's name to be on it.
We also offer proofreading services, which we recommend if there won't be further editorial review.
Are you a foreigner and want to publish your book in Brazil? Or are you Brazilian and want to publish the work of a foreigner? Be aware of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works and the issue of copyright and publishing rights for the Portuguese language. Glosses is not responsible for rights acquisition. It is the sole responsibility of the customer. The client must have the due rights for the book's publication in Brazil and be familiar with the due legislation before contracting our services.
Would you like to publish a Brazilian literary work abroad? Before hiring our company, make sure you are familiar with the due legislation of the country where it will be published and that you have all the necessary rights to do so.
