Literary translation
What you should know about literary translation services at KLS
Literary translations are the most intricate translation type. Artistic works require translation skills far beyond perfect knowledge of a language pair. Literary texts are colored by the traditions and spirit of the place they come from or the one they describe. Therefore, a literary translator must possess a strong background in world culture and be adept in artistic means, such as metaphors and allusions, to comprehensively transpose the author’s intent.
Each author has a unique tone and style. Mastering literrary translation implies a competent interpretation of the original work’s aesthetic essence. After the translation, the story must recreate the same context and resonate with the target reader. The spirit and emotional coloring of the work must be clear and relevant to a foreign audience.
KLS professionals treat each project individually, considering the specific requirements and the client’s comments. We believe that efficient communication lays the foundation of the project's success. Therefore, we establish comfortable interactions with our clients, focusing on their individual needs and concerns.
The sophisticated nature of literary translation makes it a process that requires time. Linguists themselves must be artists to handle it comprehensively. This is why urgency is incompatible with this kind of service. Therefore, plan your project based on the actual translation terms.
KLS works in strict compliance with the data protection and intellectual property rules. All managers and linguists adhere to confidentiality requirements, guaranteeing the security of customer information. A non-disclosure agreement can be signed upon the client’s request.
Literary translation prices
KLS prioritizes superb quality at a reasonable cost. To give you an idea of the price composition, here is the list of factors that affect calculations.
- Text size;
- Language pair;
- Translation terms and requirements;
- The availability and quality of the client’s materials;
- The need for additional services.
Apart from translation, we provide a comprehensive spectrum of works associated with your project. Cultural localization, design, legalization, and other services can be included upon request.
Notably, literary translation may be more expensive as it requires more creativity and a deeper understanding of the artistic context.
Our literary translation prices are listed in the table.
Advantages of the KLS literary translation agency
We assign a personal project manager to provide our clients with exhaustive support throughout the entire project. A project manager controls task fulfillment and ensures compliance with the project timeline and client’s demands. One of the crucial manager’s roles is keeping the customer updated on the translation progress and addressing all arising questions.
If your translation goals span more languages than two, we can give you a hand. KLS processes texts from the required number of source languages into as many target languages as you need. This service is known as a multilingual translation.
Our linguists can edit and proofread your artistic work before it reaches the target audience. KLS establishes a robust quality assurance process that guarantees flawless text in the outcome, honoring both your reader and the original work.
If your text requires including illustrative images or making a layout for a brochure or a reference textbook, we can engage a designer. They will work in tandem with translators and editors to deliver a holistic and consistent creation.
KLS offers effortless payment options that are convenient for our clients. You can make a cashless payment to the company account or via mobile banking.
Literary translator services: Requirements and qualifications
The essential requirements for literary translators comprise language mastery and genre-specific proficiency. A profound knowledge of a language pair, creativity, and a perfect understanding of the cultural and spiritual context are necessary to maintain integrity and convey the style of the original work.
Research and analysis are some of the crucial skills for a literary translator. Primarily, a linguist must possess sufficient historical, social, and cultural background to understand the source material. Information search and processing are necessary to expand contextual knowledge and deliver the depth of the story in the target language.
The cultural environment is a cornerstone of a consistent literary translation. A linguist working with artistic texts must be able to find and effectively leverage information regarding traditions, behaviors, values, and language rules relevant to the cultures of the source and the target languages. Cultural competence is key to preserving the substance of the original work.
KLS works under ISO 17100, which dictates at least one of the three necessary criteria for a literary translator. First is a higher education in linguistics with a major in translation. Second, a higher education and over two years of professional translation experience. Finally, at least five years of translation experience in genre-specific domains.
How to order literary text translation at the KLS agency?
Requesting literary translation at KLS is easy and convenient. You can contact us via our website or email office@kls.in.ua, order a callback, use messengers, or visit our office.
Make sure that you have all the necessary information and materials for the linguists to guide their work and streamline the order completion. We typically ask our clients to provide the language pair (i.e., the source and target languages); the type, format, style, and purpose of the document; the need for layout or a design; the availability of additional materials, such as previous translations, glossaries, etc.; the desired time frame.
The agency manager will contact you to clarify all the necessary information and will send you an invoice. The work on your project will start as soon as we receive the payment.