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Translation/revision at LINGUAFRANCA. How does it work?

1. The author decides to entrust his or her text to the agency for several reasons:

a) The first, and probably the most common reason, is that the author wants/needs to see his or her text reach audiences other than the one it was initially destined for due to the choice of the original language. This decision is often dictated by circumstances experienced by a growing number of exiled, expatriate and refugee writers. Foreign rights departments almost exclusively control the means of crossing linguistic-literary frontiers at present (if the author is lucky enough to be published by a prestigious publishing house), or this is done at the express request of a foreign publisher, which solicits the author directly and takes charge of the translation directly. In another case, a bilingual author may decide to circumvent the linguistic barriers to their text. Writers in multilingual countries such as Switzerland, Canada and Belgium often take this route, with varying degrees of success. Lastly, authors from countries where their language is not spoken widely will have to learn a major language or, if they have the means, get their texts translated if they want to extend their audience. Even at a time when the Internet and automated translation are prevalent, these constraints have not gone away and still modify the circulation of texts. Our agency is aware of all the problems inherent to transnational literature, and immigration-transmigration in general. We aim to relieve this bottleneck by proposing translations of far better quality than under standardized editorial policies.

b) There are cases, in the event that the author has themselves translated their text into the new language, when a thorough revision is required. It is important that this revision is carried out by a peer, by a writer who is able to discern, through the linguistic defects, the distinct voice embedded in the text and that has to be brought out. This is not always possible when the market’s requirements dictate the official canons of a language that is uniformised for the “general public”.

        2. Before submitting their text, the author is asked to consult the page dedicated to translators/editors who work with the agency – which includes external collaborators and some members of the board – in order to evaluate who to entrust the translation work and/or editing to. They can then contact the agency,  via the appropriate form or the connection button on the page of the chosen translator/editor, indicating the name of the person chosen and attaching the text in question. The text will be submitted to a committee for appraisal. In the event of a refusal, the author will be informed in accordance with the established deadlines; in case of acceptance, the author will receive a payment proposal commensurate with the text’s requirements directly from the translator/editor thus selected. The translations, at the discretion of the professionals involved, may occasionally concern non-literary texts (history or philosophy essays, literary criticism, sociology, etc.), art catalogues, or other forms of published translations. In some cases, the translator can, at his discretion, act as a scout, by helping the author and representing him or her in the search for a form of publication for their texts.

The revision and translation will be overseen by a legal service to ensure compliance with copyright law, as well as national and international legal standards. Responsibility for these activities will be shared among the management team and detailed in the rules of procedure.

If you are interested in LINGUAFRANCA’s editing / translation services, please contact the agency via the CONTACT enquiry form on the site. You will be sent a reply as soon as possible