Read on Twitter
Putting on my galaxy look this morning to tell you more about literary translators' working conditions. Got your attention? Please follow along and RT...
#NameTheTranslator
#NameTheTranslator
*This is how I often show up to my weekly writing group due to a zoom glitch lol
I'm pulling info from a 2017 Author Guild survey of Literary Translators' working conditions.
Here are the demographics for working literary translators based on the survey:
83% White
6.5% Hispanic or Latinx
1.5% Black/African American
1.5% Asian American
1% Native American
Here are the demographics for working literary translators based on the survey:
83% White
6.5% Hispanic or Latinx
1.5% Black/African American
1.5% Asian American
1% Native American
Here is the common education background for lit translators:
43% hold a Ph.D. or equivalent
34% hold an M.A. or equivalent
99.5% have completed some post-secondary education
This suggests a high level of overlap with academia, and higher ed is not accessible to everyone
43% hold a Ph.D. or equivalent
34% hold an M.A. or equivalent
99.5% have completed some post-secondary education
This suggests a high level of overlap with academia, and higher ed is not accessible to everyone
It's really tough to be a lit translator
Only 14 respondents (7%) derive 100% of their income from lit translation or related activities (workshops, lectures, readings, book reviews, and so forth). 161 respondents (79%) earn less than 50% of their income from lit translation
Only 14 respondents (7%) derive 100% of their income from lit translation or related activities (workshops, lectures, readings, book reviews, and so forth). 161 respondents (79%) earn less than 50% of their income from lit translation
Re translation rates, the survey actually states this "There is no standard translation rate in the United States, nor are U.S. professional organizations permitted to recommend or publish rates." Not sure why this is, but I wonder if it contributes to existing inequities?
Royalties:
- Roughly 47% of prose translators have contracts that always include a royalty clause
- 31% sometimes does
- 22% never receive one
In other words, if a book sells well, oftentimes translators never get paid more than the initial fee, like the author
- Roughly 47% of prose translators have contracts that always include a royalty clause
- 31% sometimes does
- 22% never receive one
In other words, if a book sells well, oftentimes translators never get paid more than the initial fee, like the author
Copyright:
This section really upsets me...
- 66% of prose translators report that they always or usually retain copyright on translations
- 17% SOMETIMES do
- 17% usually DO NOT
This section really upsets me...
- 66% of prose translators report that they always or usually retain copyright on translations
- 17% SOMETIMES do
- 17% usually DO NOT
The survey says that
"In half of the cases where copyright was not granted to the translator, it was because the publisher refused."
Yikes
"In half of the cases where copyright was not granted to the translator, it was because the publisher refused."
Yikes
Okay, now we get to the issue of naming!
It's not simply as just naming them. There is a lot of complexity that I am learning about recently: naming on promo materials, the cover, table of contents, byline, bio, and meta data are different issues that come up
#NameTheTranslator
It's not simply as just naming them. There is a lot of complexity that I am learning about recently: naming on promo materials, the cover, table of contents, byline, bio, and meta data are different issues that come up
#NameTheTranslator
- only 58% of respondents who mainly translate prose always or usually have their name on
the cover of a book they have translated
- 19% sometimes do
- 23% never do
so, over 40% of lit translators sometimes don't have names on their covers
the cover of a book they have translated
- 19% sometimes do
- 23% never do
so, over 40% of lit translators sometimes don't have names on their covers
There is a gender disparity here
"The gender breakdown here showed that a higher proportion of male respondents (61%) always or usually have their name on the cover than their female
counterparts (51%)."
I wonder how this fares for trans. of color and of marginalized genders?
"The gender breakdown here showed that a higher proportion of male respondents (61%) always or usually have their name on the cover than their female
counterparts (51%)."
I wonder how this fares for trans. of color and of marginalized genders?
Many folks have tweeted lately about the different reasons to #NameTheTranslator, but here are more:
- good publicity, which may lead to future income
- a higher chance they'll be mentioned in reviews
- recognition for their labor
- good publicity, which may lead to future income
- a higher chance they'll be mentioned in reviews
- recognition for their labor
You can read the full report here. Thanks so much to the wonderful folks who took the time to work on this.
https://www.authorsguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-Authors-Guild-Survey-of-Literary-Translators-Working-Conditions.pdf
#NameTheTranslator
https://www.authorsguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-Authors-Guild-Survey-of-Literary-Translators-Working-Conditions.pdf
#NameTheTranslator
If you ever read translated books, if you work in publishing, if you're an author, if you ever work with a translator, if you rely on translations to access information in another language...
Please tweet why you think it's important to #NameTheTranslator using the hashtag.
Please tweet why you think it's important to #NameTheTranslator using the hashtag.
I have more...
Compare these stats of how many books from what languages get translated with the demographics of translators, and things get interesting
Let's just say white translators are not just dominating the field in terms of % of translators https://theatlas.com/charts/GUxKyiGWB
Compare these stats of how many books from what languages get translated with the demographics of translators, and things get interesting
Let's just say white translators are not just dominating the field in terms of % of translators https://theatlas.com/charts/GUxKyiGWB
@intewig and @nadiya_shabnam - this was the article that I was looking for - finally found it!
Full article about stats https://qz.com/quartzy/1634382/which-countries-do-books-translated-for-the-us-come-from/
