Translating Strategies. A Practical Guide For Intermediate Students Of English

“There is no such thing as a law of translation, since laws admit of no exceptions” (Peter Newmark, Approaches to Translation, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1982). Taking this idea as a starting point, Translating Strategies was written for an Intermediate to Upper Intermediate level with Second Year University students in mind, as an instrument for self-study and as a guide to the difficulties and pitfalls when translating in a foreign language. The book shows how to translate literary texts from Italian to English, using texts taken from modern, twentieth century Italian authors. It is also intended as an aid to exam preparation for students studying foreign languages at the “Facoltà di Lettere” in Italian universities. The book is divided into twenty chapters with extracts from novels or short stories, with the final chapter taking a look at a whole story and the importance of the continuity of language when translating a story from beginning to end. Each chapter has the Italian version of the text and on the following page the corresponding English translation. The rest of the chapter has several pages of notes on the language, grammar and vocabulary contained in the text. The reader is also shown ways of how not to translate certain words and phrases with examples of the types of typical errors made by Italian students of English. As well as being a self-study guide, the book is ideal for use in the classroom, where the notes can be used a stepping stone for expanding ideals and stimulating discussion.