Mar 16
Arnaques crimes et traductions No Comments
12. The Translator abstains from causing harm to the profession, in particular by accepting working conditions incompatible with this code of ethics.
Translators' Code of Ethics, ATLF, 1988
A much needed call to order when you stumble, in a Book Fair in 2012, upon editors who are not ashamed of offering €3 for 2000 characters (for "typing compensation").
Mar 11
Blogs et traduction No Comments
A quick post to introduce you the ATLF's blog (Association des traducteurs littéraires de France, in French only).
This site aims to be a collaborative space and to give voice to translators, usually silent et transparent. You will find quotes, informations about translation and the associations, as well as various posts about the art of translation. It's a very pleasant reading and regularly updated.
To contribute, you have to be an ATLF member. After the launch period, you will be able to send your articles to the editorial board. In the meantime, you can already get familiar with the blog's netiquette and FAQs.
Mar 06
For once, let's talk about literary translation. For all of us, technical translators, literary translation is kind of exciting, irresistible, impossible. It's the ultimate challenge, the adventure that will bring you glory (and not much else, given the pay).
You'll be glad to know that for the second year in a row, the Salon du Livre, the French annual Book Fair, organizes a Translation Forum (programme here, in French). During a full day (March 15th), four round tables will try to shed light on translation in the digital era, the Japanese literature or retranslation.
Other events on translation will follow during the Fair (Saturday 16 and Sunday 18). You may see me between the stands, desperately looking for the few books I worked on!
Dec 03
As I just joined the ATLF (after the AAE-ESIT, SFT, Sofia, Scam, briefly the CIoL and NETA and before joining the ATAA someday), let me relay the message from an other acronym organization, which is also making a great deal in advocating literary translators in Europe : the European Council of Literary Translators' Associations (CEATL). The Council indeed published an "Hexalogue", a code a good practice in six points for all literary translation actors (authors, translators, publishers, etc.). It is reproduced below, and you can also download it on their website. Oh and by the way, don't forget the Youth Book Fair this week-end in Paris.
The Six Commandments of ‘fair-play’ in literary translation, adopted by CEATL’s General Assembly on 14 May, 2011.
1. Licensing of rights
The licensing of rights for the use of the translation shall be limited in time to a maximum of five years. It shall be subject to the restrictions and duration of the licensed rights of the original work. Each licensed right shall be mentioned in the contract.
2. Fees
The fee for the commissioned work shall be equitable, enabling the translator to make a decent living and to produce a translation of good literary quality.
3. Payment terms
On signature of the contract, the translator shall receive an advance payment of at least one third of the fee. The remainder shall be paid on delivery of the translation at the latest.
4. Obligation to publish
The publisher shall publish the translation within the period stipulated in the contract, and no later than two years after the delivery of the manuscript.
5. Share in profit
The translator shall receive a fair share of the profits from the exploitation of his/her work, in whatsoever form it may take, starting from the first copy.
6. Translator’s name
As author of the translation, the translator shall be named wherever the original author is named.
Nov 28
Reminder: this is only a recap of the French article. To read the full post, click on the French flag on the right.
The traditional "Matinale de la SFT" took place last saturday. This monthly breakfast gathers a bunch of translators over a coffee and a particular question. This month, it was all about audiovisual translation.
Animated by Isabelle Audinot and Sylvestre Meininger, vice-president of the ATAA (Audiovisual Translators and Adapters Association), we learned about the differences between subtitling, dubbing and voice-over, for TV or movies, as well as the "reality of a sector in crisis". So if you were thinking about translating movies, please read carefully their website (and blog).
As we were told, this is a hard-stricken sector in France: "it's like translators are chosen by the publishers", "rates dropped by 60% in 15 years", "only 20 translators make their living from movie translation" and "workforce increases by 10% each year".
Nevertheless, I have to say I'd be pretty proud if I heard George Clooney saying the words I wrote!
