Yanitzia Canetti—The Silent Task of the Good Translator
By Ximena Diego -- Críticas, 5/15/2007
The work of a translator is to build a bridge—a sound, sleek, and smooth bridge that perfectly, and seamlessly, connects the book in question with a new group of readers. As translator Yanitzia Canetti puts it, there is nothing worse than reading a book and noticing right away that it is a translation; “something just isn’t quite right, it sounds awkward.” Now that so much of what Spanish-speaking children in the United States read is translated from the English, the role of translators has become increasingly important.
To learn more about the craft and business of translation, and the challenges translators face, Críticas talked to Yanitzia Canetti. Born in Cuba, Canetti now lives in Boston, Ma. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, a Masters in linguistics, and a PhD in literature. A prolific writer herself, Canetti has published two novels, four anthologies, and dozens of books for children and young adults, including Ay, luna, luna, lunita… (Oh, Moon, Moon, Little Moon, Everest, 2006) and the soon-to-be-reviewed El Príncipe Azul (The Blue Prince, Everest, 2007). But Canetti is more widely known for her translations of American classics like Dr.Seuss’ books and several titles in the Curious George series. Her recent translation of Hay un molillo en mi bolsillo (There is a Wocket in My Pocket) is reviewed in this issue.
| Books translated by Canetti |
When I translate, I try to get into the creative mind of the author and find inspiration in that creative spirit—I become a sort of medium, if you will. I imagine what the book would look like if the author were able to express him- or herself in Spanish. For example, Dr. Seuss’s titles are more than a challenge. To me they are a fiesta of creativity. I have so much fun translating his books that it feels like a game. I enjoy the playful rhyme, the phrases that at first glance seem to make no sense, the underlying messages, the lighthearted and sometimes mischievous verse. I try to maintain all of these elements in Spanish. I put a puzzle of ideas together in rhyme and then I take it apart again until I get a nice flow of verse with the “magic” of the original text. I think that being a writer helps me in this respect.
What are the biggest challenges when translating children’s literature?
The biggest challenge is balancing all of the elements involved. Each element is just as important as the other: rhyme, meter, rhythm, humor, play on words, multiple-meanings conveyed through idiomatic expressions, lexical variations in old English, modern English, British English, American English, or Caribbean English, etc. There are also the issues of fitting the text into a limited space—Spanish tends to take up more space—and matching the translated text to the original illustrations. Other things taken into account include the culture for which the original text was written and the culture of the readers in the new language. The list goes on and on. In the end, the only thing that matters is having children feel like the book was written especially for them, and not just translated. Ultimately, all of the talent and effort in the world won’t make a difference if children don’t like the story. That is why the first judges of all of my books and translations are my own children, who are sometimes hard to convince.
What is the process of translating a children’s book?
There is no process that can be applied in the same way for all translations, nor is the process the same in all cases. Each publisher operates in a different way. Generally, I read the book first, and “get acquainted” with the content. If I don’t like it, then I am very honest and decline to do it because I can’t translate something that doesn’t convince the “girl” inside me. After enjoying the book for a couple of days, I start the translation. Sometimes I start by translating the ideas, and then I get into the rhyme, meter, rhythm, etc., if this is what the book involves. If not, then I focus on making sure the text says what the author intended it to say and making the text flow well—as if it were written in Spanish, not English. There is nothing worse than reading a book and noticing right away that it was originally written in another language. Something just isn’t quite right, it sounds awkward, and sometimes forced. Then, when I finish translating everything, I let it sit. After a while, I pick it up again, I polish it up, and then I deliver it.
Some Latin American publishers try to use a “neutral Spanish” in their books to make them work in the U.S. market. Do you believe that there is such thing?
It’s funny, I’ve never understood what “neutral Spanish” is. Some editors just try to please every market segment, which is sometimes counterproductive because when you try to please everyone in Spanish-speaking communities, the language sounds distant, flat, and even “foreign.” There is not a single country that speaks “neutral Spanish.” What I tend to do is figure out what the biggest market segment is. Of course, I try to make sure that all Spanish speakers can understand the text. However, sometimes you use words that some people—who supposedly speak “that Spanish”—don’t know and it’s simply because not everyone has the same level of vocabulary.
I think this “neutral Spanish” thing is a little silly. There is only one Spanish language: it has its idiomatic expressions, lexical variations, lingo, slang, etc., but it is still essentially Spanish. However, I do avoid using regional expressions or words unless the text calls for it.
I have received some translations and bilingual books that are awful: they have grammatical errors, strange syntax, and typos. Why do you think that is?
Unfortunately, many English-speaking publishers or editors who outsource translations cannot judge the quality of the final product. More times than not, they hire a Spanish proofreader, but they are not able to judge that person’s work either. They tend to go with someone who has a decent résumé. Some even think that if someone speaks Spanish, that’s good enough. This underestimation of a foreign language only results in terrible translations. We also have to keep in mind that budget almost always dictates who is hired to translate. This is when the old adage “You get what you pay for” holds true. Getting off cheap costs you in the end, when sales don’t meet expectations. But, you know what? When faced with poor sales, sometimes the conclusion these companies come to is just as crazy as the translation: they begin to believe the misconception that Hispanics don’t read.
What are your favorite children’s books?
I like so many books and so many authors from around the world…. Well, let me list some of the first that come to mind: all Nordic, Greek, Roman, African, Native-American, Indian, Asian, and Arab legends that I read like crazy when I was a girl. Then there are Andersen, the brothers Grimm, Perrault, Amicis, Defoe, Italo Calvino, Dr. Seuss, José Martí, and an endless list of great authors. I also like Saint Exupery’s The Little Prince, Momo by Michael Ende, Pippy Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, Kim by Rudyard Kipling, Sophia’s World by Jostein Gaarder, and the works of a bunch of fabulous writers like Gianni Rodari, Michio Mado, María Elena Walsh, Ligia Bojunga Nunes, Selma Lagerlöf, Christine Nöstlinger, Kvéta Pacovská, Elena Fortún, Uri Orlev, Úrsula Wölfel, María Gripe, Maria Puncel, Tormod Haugen, Ana María Matute, Ana María Machado, Hilda Perera, Elvira Lindo… And I also like my paisano Antonio Orlando Rodríguez’s stories, as well as those of my Swiss-Colombian friend Ivar Da Coll, and other good friends, who also happen to be excellent writers. I’m always discovering an author with interesting proposals for children’s books, sometimes daring, which is hard to find these days.
When is your next book coming out?
A couple that just came out are El príncipe azul (The Blue Prince, Everest) and El niño que nunca se reía (The Boy That Never Laughed, Edebé). There are a few others that will be out soon, but I don’t know which will come out first. Éramos pocos (We Were a Few), Solo como un perro (Alone Like a Dog), Las maravillas de una sencilla sombrilla amarilla (The Wonders of a Simple Yellow Umbrella), Nada es lo que parece (Nothing is What it Seems), and some others with Everest are on the way.
What are you reading these days?
Right now, I am reading Me llamo Rojo (My Name is Red) by Orhan Pamuk, El agente provocador (The Provocative Agent) by Pere Gimferrer, and El ansia (Lust) by Elfriede Jelinek. I read them little by little, and I like them all the same: poetry, theater, short story, children’s books. I’m like the indecisive bride, always seduced by a new book. But if it’s good literature, I welcome it and say “I do.”
¡El gato con sombrero viene de nuevo! 
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