How To Decide On A Translation: 5 Steps for Literature Lovers

Summer has finally arrived, and somehow, you've managed to find the time to read Anna Karenina. Or maybe it's Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse or Candide by Voltaire. Whatever you're reading, it the original was written in a tongue you don't understand. And anything famous, anything translated, must have the trait of being universally understood, right? Any translation should do if that's the case.

But is it?

In the summer after freshman year of high school, lounging on a couch, with rain pelting against the windows, I read Beowulf. It was a cheap edition I had found on sale at Barnes and Noble, and I nearly slept through it. To my surprise, when revisiting the same tale a few months later, I found it to be one of the most exciting books of the semester - and not because the other books were terrible. What changed? The translator.

The original version I had read had been by John McNamara. It wasn't a terrible read, but it seemed less alive than Bernard Raffel's recreation of the text. And although I have been told Seamus Heaney's version is the best, I regret to say I haven't yet tried it.

But why do we need so many versions? How do we know which to read? 

Beowulf  translated by John McNamara

Walter Benjamin, in his essay "The Task of the Translator", suggests that using the translations and the original in an interlinear reading may reveal the most about the source text - a marvelous concept, but rather impractical for the everyday person. And although I prefer to read the original text if I am able, I have developed a checklist for picking out my favorite translations.

1. The translation will never read like the original. And unless you enjoy literal wordings and awkward grammar constructions, don't look for one that does. Even the most literal texts typically show some maneuvering. To be honest, most of this won't matter unless you know the source language anyway, so just forget about the "closest" translation (unless you enjoy what I've noted above). The foreignness of the text will most likely reveal itself in other ways. 

2.1 Pick a translation with notes. It's true that the Internet offers many gifts, including access to

Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney

information about different eras, histories and peoples. But when I'm reading, I'd much rather have that information in the book itself, either in the notes or the appendix. This was something I valued in the Barnes and Noble edition of Beuwolf, although I believe Raffel had many "extras" too. This is something I value even more so in religious texts, and translation can impact the reading of the tale - and no translation is perfect.

2.2 Get one with footnotes. This is more of a personal choice, but footnotes are usually more convenient, as you don't have to keep flipping to and fro through the novel.  Some may suggest that notes "takes you out of the experience", but I feel it's much easier to keep up with cultural/translation notes this way, and that I can contextualize the new information easier if I use these immediately.

2.3 Take point 2 at face value. There's quite a few theories that link translation with colonialism, which in turn affects the reading of certain fictions, especially those written by former colonies. Although I've mentioned that the translation will not read like the original, there are translators who believe it should, even if it's alienating. Choose whatever you prefer in the long run, and it never hurts to read multiple translations, if possible!

3. Compare a passage of the text with other translations. See which one you like more, which speaks to you. You want to enjoy the version you read, after all. And through glancing at a few paragraphs from different versions, you may be able to see how the translators differ among each other.

4. Research the translator, not just the book. See what else they've translated, what their focus may be. Translators, unintentionally maybe, may have beliefs that affect the translation. This isn't bad, but it's apparent. This is also more obvious in religious texts and commentary, so it's even more important to check on this when studying translations of the Bible, Quran, etc.

Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel

5. See what other readers are saying. Translators might talk about how close the translation is to the original, and perhaps how "true" it captures its essence. This is important. But it's also important to see if the readers understood or connected with the text. If you don't know the source language, you may not be able to really know or understand how "close" a translation comes to the original, despite the praises translators may heap upon a work. Seeing what other readers have said about the translation they read, might help in finding the translation you would enjoy. Of course, it's good to know what the professionals are saying, if even to put their suggest on the top of your research list.

Translation tends to be complicated - not only for the translator, but for the reader as well. While each translator labors over his or her work, the myriad of versions available is often overwhelming. And while it's fascinating to read more than one version, or read versions simultaneously, it's not always possible. 

Finding the right translation may seem like a process - especially as this is a checklist for leisure, not study - but with a little research on the front end, you'll save yourself time, money, and misery.