Is fiction or non-fiction easier to translate?
Translations give people worldwide access to information and knowledge. We see this in light of the current COVID-19 situation, where several organisations have compiled glossary lists comprising translated covid-related terms.
Similarly, non-profit organisations like StoryWeaver breaks down language barriers so that children worldwide can access multilingual storybooks to expand their knowledge as they read.
Yet as we consume translated works such as Dostoyevsky’s Russian classics in English, The Lord of the Rings in Japanese, or J.K. Rowling’s English Harry Potter series in Malay, how often do we as readers know about the obstacles experienced by translators behind the scenes?
The translation process might not be as easy as we think.
Rather than mere word substitution, translators deal with all sorts of content that must be meticulously read through and examined. Fictional works like novels, fairy tales and poems, are highly imaginative in nature and may require more creative input from the translator.
On the other hand, non-fiction works that are factual and serve to inform such as memoirs, news articles, academic textbooks and historical texts, may require some careful thought to ensure accuracy. With these two seemingly opposite categories of content, how might a translator approach the process and which of these two are easier to do?
How do we translate fiction?
Some people think that fiction is easier to translate, since the tone used in writing can be more casual and hence easier to convey.
This might not always be the case. In fact, since fiction is often imaginative and allows writers to exercise more creative control, translators must also be able to match their sense and tone in the translated versions. What this means is that translators must possess vast and strong vocabulary knowledge of both the source and target languages to properly convey the nuances of the original tone into the translation. As a translator, Jessica Cohen mentions how she has to first read the text in order to properly express the same emotion in her translation similar to what was presented in the original.
On top of this, translators should also have a deep level of knowledge about the culture of the original source and the target so that if cultural references are made, the translator will be able to better convey it to readers who might not be familiar with the target background.
An example of such cultural references which may challenge the translation process is idioms since every language has its own and there might not be a corresponding one in another. In fiction especially, literary devices used in writing such as humour is highly dependent on the cultural background in which people express themselves and hence could make it even harder to translate the content if not fully comprehended.
Ultimately, the challenge in translating fiction lies in relaying the content accurately while giving the work its distinctive flavour that was presented in the original.
What about non-fiction?
In contrast, some people prefer translating non-fiction instead since the content is factual, and thus the tone can be more constant throughout especially when relaying certain technical terms.
That being said, non-fiction sure has its own set of challenges. Since non-fiction content purports to contain more accurate information, the translated content has to be very precise and error-free to avoid relaying any mistruths which may result in detrimental outcomes.
Negligence in word selection without knowing the context can be dangerous as seen through the notorious mistranslation of Nikita Khrushchev’s phrase during the beginnings of the Cold War. Its translations have varied from “We will bury you” to “We will outlast you”, where one can appear more hostile and deadly than the other.
This is just one such example of how a mistranslation can evoke fear and misjudgements. Non-fiction content can also come from different areas of specialization — for example, religion or science — and hence knowledge gaps on the translator’s part can make it difficult to translate those technical terms into content that can be easily digested by the readers.
Same same, but different
Translating fiction and non-fiction are both challenging, and we would be hard-pressed to say that one is easier over the other. In both fiction and non-fiction, the translator bears the responsibility of ensuring that the creative flair of the original writer is expressed through proper research, sensitivity to words and context, all without injecting their personal opinions. Ultimately, the ease and preference over the content type lie in the hands of the translator and where his or her comfort level and expertise is.
Regardless, we encourage you to try your hand at translating both types of content! Skills can be developed over time so you can always try working on different types of projects to determine where your area of interest lay.
By familiarizing yourself with the translation process, you can decide for yourself if fiction or non-fiction is easier for you to translate.
Written by Jasmine Foo
