Translation textbooks
Anonymous has just asked in a post comment:
I would be interested in any comments on the following books. I chose books on Amazon that seemed to address translation theory. Do any seem especially worth reading (or not reading)? I'd also be interested in comments on relevant books not on this list. Thanks!Thank you, Anonymous, for asking your questions. They are most appropriate for this blog and should be of help to many of its readers.
Baker, In Other Words
Barker, Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies
Biguenet & Schulte, The Craft of Translation (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
Biguenet & Schulte, Theories of Translation: An Anthology of Essays from Dryden to Derrida
Larson, Meaning-Based Translation
Munday, Introducing Translation Studies: Theory & Applications
Robinson, Becoming a Translator
Venuti, The Scandals of Translation
Venuti, The Translation Studies Reader
Venuti, The Translator's Invisibility
I have a number of these books in my library, as well as several others. I'm glad to comment on which books I consider most useful for helping someone understand translation principles and practices.
Of the books listed about, I consider the following to be the ones most helpful for actually learning how to translate well:
Baker, In Other WordsTo that list I would add the following which appear in the Books and journals section of the margin of this blog:
Larson, Meaning-Based Translation (The accompanying workbook gives helpful exercises.)
Bible, Babel and Babble (free download)I would add these which are not in the margin of this blog:
The Bible Translator
The Challenge of Bible Translation
Inside Translation (free download)
Journal of Translation
Relevance Theory: A Guide to Successful Communication in Translation
The Theory and Practice of Translation
Translation Problems from A to Z
Introduction to Semantics and Translation by Katharine Barnwell, 1984, 272 pp., ISBN 0-95036-515-9 $18.00UBS (United Bible Societies) has published a number of small books which contain helpful information about Bible translation. I think many of them are anthologies which contain papers presented at some UBS workshops. These books are especially useful because those who contributed to them have actual field experience in Bible translation. Among these books, I have the following which I recommend:
Teacher's Manual to Accompany Bible Translation by Katharine Barnwell, 1987, 264 pp. $12.00
Beekman, John and John C. Callow. 1974. Translating the Word of God, with Scripture and topical indexes. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 399 p. (out of print, but available through Alibris and Eisenbrauns, or borrow it through Inter-Library Loan; it's one of the most useful textbooks published on how to do good Bible translation)
Meaningful Translation: Its Implications for the Reader, ed. by Johannes P. LouwThere are a number of newer UBS publications on their Books on Translation Theory and Practice webpage which also look helpful.
Style and Discourse: With Special Reference to the text of the Greek New Testament
Language, Society, and Bible Translation, Ernst R. Wendland
Issues in Bible Translation, ed. by Philip C. Stine
Lexicography and Translation, ed. by J.P. Louw
I recommend purchasing books by people who have actually done professional translation, including missionary Bible translation. Their books often have very good insights for doing Bible translation well. Many Exegetes and theologians who do English Bible translation, unfortunately, have not interacted with this literature sufficiently. If they did and if they applied the translation principles described in the books, they would create Better Bibles.
Please feel free to comment on books listed in this post or to mention books not listed which you would consider helpful to learning how to do good quality Bible translation.
Now, weren't those good questions from Anonymous? How many of you wish you knew some name, other than Anonymous, by which to address this good visitor to the BBB?
posted by Wayne Leman at 8:24 AM
3 Comments:
The author of In Other Words and the Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies is not "Barker" but Mona Baker, "Editor of The Translator and Editorial Director of St. Jerome Publishing" and Professor of Translation Studies at the Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies of the University of Manchester. She is of Egyptian origin, and in 2002 caused a stir for sacking Israeli scholars from her academic journals.
Beekman and Callow is available from Eisenbrauns for $30, sorry if the URL I gave in a previous comment was wrong. This is the URL for a used copy of Discourse Considerations in Translating the Word of God by Kathleen Callow.
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While these types of actions are not necessarily linked with the validity of her ideas or writings, they make me want to find out if the similar resources are available from others.
I, too, was disturbed by Mona's decision for that conference, but I would still encourage you to use her book. Her politics are not found in her book and it is one of the best translation textbooks available today in the secular market.
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