Integrating interview-based approaches into corpus-based translation studies and literary translation studies

Appendix

• Corpus section 1. The literary translator’s background

  In the interview conducted for Suplimentul de cultură, issue no. 722, Lavinia Belulescu (LB) focuses on Radu Paraschivescu’s (RP) activity as a writer, literary translator, radio host with Digi FM and Rock FM, and a journalist with the Digi Sport TV channel and with New Money (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021).

  In an interview posted on the Book Industry website dedicated to interviews with book industry professionals, Radu Paraschivescu is featured by the interviewer, Oana (O), as a Romanian writer, translator, journalist, and editor. He is also a best seller – examples include Bazar bizar (Bizarre Bazar), Ghidul nesimțitului (The Moron’s Guide), Cu inima smulsă din piept (A Heart Torn out from the Chest; translated into Portuguese), Fluturele negru (The Black Butterfly), Am fost cândva femeie de onoare și alte povestiri (I Once Was a Woman of Honour and Other Stories), Vitrina cu șarlatani (The Conmen Shop Window), and Acul de aur și ochii Glorianei (The Gold Needle and Gloriana’s Eyes). He coordinated the Râsul lumii (World Laughter) book collection with the Humanitas Publishing House, and he was the producer of the Dă-te la o carte (Pick Up a Book) and Pastila de limbă (The Tongue Pill) shows, broadcast by Digi 24 TV channel (2014–2019). Since February 2021, he has been a co-author, with Cătălin Striblea, of the Vorbitorincii (The Talkers) podcast (https://bookindustry.ro/en/creatorii/radu-paraschivescu-scriitor-traducator-editor/, 24 October 2021).

  In an interview given to Ioana Bâldea Constantinescu (I.B.C.), suggestively entitled ‚Who you are when you translate:

  I.B.C.: I would define Radu Paraschivescu (before he does it ) as one of the most versatile contemporary tricksters – a writer, translator, journalist, radio and podcast moderator, a witty and pleasant voice regardless of the area in which he expresses himself. He is the companion of Barnes and Coe, of de Botton and Saunders and of many others in their journey into Romanian. (our translation) (https://ioanabaldea.com/2023/01/23/cine-esti-cand-traduci-iv/, 23 January 2023)

  In an interview given to Adrian Lesenciuc (A.L.) for libris.ro, Radu Paraschivescu is described as:

  L.: Radu Paraschivescu is an unmistakable public figure. Well-known for his books, numerous translations, constant presence in the media, whether we speak of culture or sport, radio or television, present even in the social media with the podcast “Vorbitorincii” (“The Talkers”)¸ for instance, the name Radu Paraschivescu cannot be contained by a mere list of the roles associated with multiple statuses, to which we must add those of a teacher, editor, reviewer. From the perspective of Libris [online library] (our note), Radu Paraschivescu is, first of all, an excellent prose writer, a translator and an editor, a man of letters who constantly proposes new works, truly enjoyed by the readership. (our translation)

  (https://blog.libris.ro/2022/04/27/radu-paraschivescu-scriu-ironic-e-adevarat-numai-ca-ironia-e-un-semn-de-buna-functionare-a-spiritului-critic/, 27 April 2023)

• Corpus section 2. Experience and literary translation expertise

  O.: You have translated important writers (if we mention only Salman Rushdie, William Golding, Jonathan Coe and J.K. Rowling) … (our translation) (https://bookindustry.ro/en/creatorii/radu-paraschivescu-scriitor-traducator-editor/, 24 October 2021)

  L.B.: He has translated 115 books to date, the most recent one being “Middle England,” the novel by the British writer Jonathan Coe… (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  L.B.: How and when did you start translating?

  R.P.: I had a wrong start as debut author in 2000, and as a translator, nine years before. By translating I actually tested my strength and patience: I wanted to see if I could outlive a not very juicy text. “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf and “Apocalypse” by D.H. Lawrence followed only to end up in the drawer before 1989. No one knows about this last book, especially because it appeared around 1993 at a confidential publishing house. Woolf, at least, was published with Univers in 1999. From French, I also translated a novel and two sport books about the Olympic Games and about football, respectively. Otherwise, I have translated only from English. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  R.P.: When I look at the bookcase where I keep the books I translated (yes, I am proud, I know, thank you, I’m a Leo, aren’t I?), I can see a wealth of big names: Rushdie, Ishiguro, Barnes, Lodge, Steinbeck, Woolf, Lawrence, Coe, Hornby, Wallace, Golding, Burroughs, Amis, de Botton, Saunders, Salter, etc. I would still pick up “The Liar” by Stephen Fry. It’s a high-level charade, with splendid authorial tricks, with laughter lurking on every page, with a ton of political incorrectness and full of surprises that you can’t even imagine. Certainly, filled with puns that will dig a wrinkle on your forehead, as my colleagues know too well. When I translated “Before She Met Me,” I discovered at one point that “The cross-eyed bear“ became, a few pages later, “The cross I’d bear.” As much as I like Barnes, it was the moment I swore at him hastily, like a trooper. (our translation) (https://ioanabaldea.com/2023/01/23/cine-esti-cand-traduci-iv/, 23 January 2023)

  I.C.: Do you think it is crucial for the translator to possess knowledge of translation theory?

  R.P.: Surprisingly, my answer is “Not necessarily.” I am one of those who have not attended such courses. I believe that the ability to achieve accurate translations, a gift for this trade, and hands-on experience outweigh theoretical knowledge. I happen to know individuals who have studied translation intensively and still deliver average or poor translations. Not to mention that I, alas, lack even the once-demanded translator’s certificate. I sat for the examination about four decades ago and failed to get a rating of 7. My fellow examinee, who had just completed his degree with honours, fared no better. We were asked to translate a page of a literary text during three hours and having full access to dictionaries. However, something seemed quite off to me, and I abandoned this path. And here I am. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

  L.: On the other hand, Radu Paraschivescu’s translations from the classics are exercises in style.

  R.P.: Forty years ago, as a student, I picked up books by D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf without thinking about publishing [their translation] (our addition). I wanted to see if I was ambitious and and patient enough to complete the translation of a book. As the proof of the pudding is in the eating, here I am now, having a track record. I promised several times that I would give up translation to focus on writing. Yeah sure! Something came up every time: either a new book by an author I like (Julian Barnes, Stephen Fry, Jonathan Coe), or an attractive proposal due to the author’s original way of writing, as it was the case with George Saunders or James Salter. You pay me a huge compliment by referring to some of my translations as “exercises in style.” It’s true, some of them gratified me as well (“The Man in the Red Coat,” “Lincoln in the Bardo,” “The Liar,” “Midnight’s Children,” “The Rotters’ Club,” etc.). In the three decades or so since I’ve been translating, without counting the two translation tests in college, I have gained experience, learnt some lessons and achieved some notoriety. (our translation) (https://blog.libris.ro/2022/04/27/radu-paraschivescu-scriu-ironic-e-adevarat-numai-ca-ironia-e-un-semn-de-buna-functionare-a-spiritului-critic/, 27 April 2023)

  I.C.: In an interview with Lavinia Bălulescu in February 2021 ( https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/ ) you describe your journey as a literary translator and mention having experienced a discouraging start. What motivated you to keep investing time and effort into your work as a literary translator even when there seemed to be little prospects of success?

  R.P.: I have a vivid recollection of the interview with Lavinia. What escapes my memory is whether I referred to an equally ill-starred debut as a writer (in this case, it was my fault). I thought that after the miserable failure of François Mauriac’s “Les anges noirs” in Romanian (where the blame goes to the editor alone), everyone deserved a second chance. In athletics jumping and throwing events, you are entitled to either three or six attempts. Therefore, it seemed only right that I should have the opportunity to try again. On the other hand, I had already refined my translation skills during my time at university, translating both during classes and at home when I found some respite. I had become very fond of this trade. So much, in fact, that before embarking upon my role as an English teacher in Făget (Timiş), I had completed the translation of David Lodge’s “Language of Fiction,” for art’s sake. No contract, no fees. Just for my own pleasure. It took place before 1990. Coming back to the point, I believe my main driving force was the pleasure of transferring ideas and images from one language to another, coupled with the suspicion that I could potentially discover the seeds of a calling, if not something greater. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

• Corpus section 3. Translator’s power in the selection of the books to be translated

  L.B.: A book that you would like to translate?

  R.P.: I would have liked to translate some works by John Fowles, but I was a student at the time when his books started to be translated [into Romanian] (our note). I would have liked to translate “The White Hotel” by D.M. Thomas, especially because I had discovered it at the British Library, only that the publisher promised it to me and the next day he gave it to someone else. I would have also loved to translate Durrell’s “Alexandria Quartet.” (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  R.P.: Today I have the advantage of refusing what I don’t like, choose my collaborations and translate from authors I’m very fond of: Jonathan Coe for Polirom, Julian Barnes for Nemira, Stephen Fry for Trei, etc. It’s an advantage, of course, that my income is not based on translations alone.

  O.: I assume that you receive more translating suggestions than time would allow you to do. What are the most important criteria when accepting such a collaboration?

  R.P.: I refuse from time to time, usually because of the lack of time. I rarely change my mind. However, I have done it recently with Pilot Books Publishing House, led by Bogdan Ungureanu, to whom I had turned down a relatively attractive financial proposal (at Romania’s level, let’s be clear about that). Later I was sorry, Bogdan is a fine man and editor, so, after a few months I went back on my decision and made myself available to translate a book by David Foster Wallace to be published in 2022. I have a few criteria which are rather simple: to enjoy the author and the book, to trust the publisher and to agree on the fees.

  (https://bookindustry.ro/en/creatorii/radu-paraschivescu-scriitor-traducator-editor/, 24 October 2021)

  Which novel would you like to re/translate (from a language you don’t know)?

  R.P.: First and foremost, let me say I’m sorry for the books that I did not translate from a known language and that I would have loved to translate. It’s about John Fowles’ novels, especially “Daniel Martin,” “The Collector” or “A Maggot,” possibly, “Mantissa” and “The Magus.” As for books in a language I don’t know, I would like to translate “Manual del Canibal canibal” by Carlos Balmaceda, and “Rosso Floyd” and “Rodderick Duddle” by Michele Mari. (our translation) (https://dlite.ro/radu-paraschivescu-in-dialog-cu-10-tineri-scriitori-romani/, 2022)

  Why Julian Barnes and not David Foster Wallace?

  R.P.: Probably because it suits the reader I am better in terms of style and narrative register. Certainly because he caught my eye before David Foster Wallace. I had discovered Barnes’ “A History of the World in 10½ Chapters” in the early 1990s at the British Library, from where I used to borrow books. I was his first reader (or so I thought), as I could see on the last page, where there was no return date stamp. I read it in only two days and I was in sheer ecstatic joy. I proposed it to a very important publishing house at the time and I was told that it had already been commissioned to someone else. “Okay, but no one has read it,” I murmured. “That’s what you think. It was read by someone who was not asked for a return date.” I inferred it was someone from within the British Library. A correct inference. Only that the person gave birth to a child instead of doing the translation, and the publishing house – I don’t know why – gave up on publishing the novel. RAO published it a few years later, after Livia Szasz, who was employed there at the time and whom I had known from college, shared my enthusiasm while reading it and invited me to do the translation. Moreover, an American observer of the 1990 elections, for whom I acted as an interpreter, had asked me, four or five years before the RAO episode, what book to send me from the States, and I, making a simple mistake, had asked him for an English novel. Kindly and ignoring my clumsiness, the American sent me the book, which I still keep in a visible place in my bookcase. This is the story of Julian Barnes, from which I have translated nine books so far. All are part of the author series that Nemira has been publishing for several years. (our translation) (https://dlite.ro/radu-paraschivescu-in-dialog-cu-10-tineri-scriitori-romani/, 2022)

  I.C.: Jonathan Coe is a contemporary English novelist and writer. His work displays an in-built concern with political issues and an examination of Englishness, focusing on national idiosyncrasies, often expressed in the form of satire. His work comprises 14 novels published between 1987 and 2022, out of which you translated seven into Romanian. Which were the main criteria that determined you to translate Jonathan Coe’s novels? What was the underlying motivation for choosing the works to be translated? Or was it the other way around, and the publishers chose for you?

  R.P.: Jonathan Coe ranks among the authors I hold in high esteem, and whose works I have translated with great delight. It was not me who planned to meet him, but Denisa Comănescu, who was editor-in-chief at Univers publishing house (at the dawn of the millennium). Denisa proposed me to translate “The House of Sleep,” and I readily accepted. It proved to be a wise decision. “The House of Sleep” strikes me as an exceptional novel, and being its Romanian voice is a personal privilege. Denisa Comănescu moved from Univers to Polirom and later joined Humanitas, where she is to stay. The translation royalties for Coe were transferred to Polirom forever. His novels, which included my translations, were also published under the Polirom imprint. Both Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu and, later on, Dan Croitoru inquired whether I would be eager to translate more of his works, and, naturally, I said “Yes.” This is how the trilogy made up of “The Rotters‘ Club,” “The Closed Circle” and “Middle England,” as well as “Number 11,” “Mr. Wilder and Me,” and the children’s book “The Broken Mirror” came out. On two occasions, I had to decline due to an overbusy agenda that no longer allowed me to translate anymore of his work. Jonathan Coe is one of those English authors I resonate with, possibly because of the fine blend of tenderness, irony, critical insight and artful dialogue that I daresay could also be found, though not as brilliantly, in my own novels. I harbour the same admiring kinship for two other English writers I have translated: Julian Barnes and Stephen Fry. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

  L.: Classics of world literature appeared in Romanian thanks to the translator Radu Paraschivescu. What brings Salman Rushdie, John Steinbeck, Jonathan Coe or Kazuo Ishiguro together? What qualifies an author to be translated by Radu Paraschivescu?

  R.P.: My impression here is that things are exactly the other way around. I am the one called to qualify to translate writers such as Rushdie, Ishiguro, Salter, Burroughs, Steinbeck, Saunders, Golding, de Botton, Coe, Lodge, Fry, Hornby or Barnes. The order is purely random. I can place those mentioned under one umbrella: the pleasure of translating them. (our translation)

  (https://blog.libris.ro/2022/04/27/radu-paraschivescu-scriu-ironic-e-adevarat-numai-ca-ironia-e-un-semn-de-buna-functionare-a-spiritului-critic/, 27 April 2023)

• Corpus section 4. The relationship with the publishing house (multiple translatorship concerns)

  O.: How did you come to collaborate with the publishing houses for which you translated (Polirom, Trei, Nemira, Humanitas Fiction) and how has this relationship evolved over time?

  R.P.: Naturally, at first, before I became known as a translator, I was the one running after publishing houses. For years now, they are the ones one running after me (it’s true, metaphorically speaking). I experienced some inconveniences as a translator and I was careful to publicly denounce the unscrupulous behaviour of the editor and not engage in any other collaboration with him ever again. In 1994, the owner of the publishing house I was working for stole my translation of one of William Golding’s books and published it under his name. Another publisher wanted to pay me half the fees we agreed on and for which he had obtained a grant, intending to put the difference of money in their pocket. Another publisher blantly and repeatedly refused to pay me for the new editions of some books I translated (a biography of Churchill and a co-translation of Henry Kissinger). Another one, really funny, offered me a translation contract in which the spaces between words were not included in the 2,000 characters per page. I told them that, under the circumstances, I would send them a block translation, consisting of a single unit word spread over 400 pages, and they could separate the words, if it that was so simple to them. Finally, another publisher (whose employee I was at the time) paid me only a third of the amount due for a football Larousse encyclopedia (co-authored and co-translated). You mentioned Humanitas Fiction. I collaborated with them until two years ago, when the manager of this publishing house showed non-collegial behaviour that made me break up the relationship forever. Besides, I refuse to have ever something to do with the All, RAO, Univers, Elit, Orizonturi and Curtea Veche publishing houses. Instead, I enjoy collaborating with Polirom, Nemira, Trei (as well as with Pandora M), Baroque Books & Arts, Art and Arthur. Not to mention Humanitas Clasic. In general, I work with anyone who demonstrates the same seriousness and honesty that I offer. I translated 115 books and I’ve never been late, not even by a single day. (https://bookindustry.ro/en/creatorii/radu-paraschivescu-scriitor-traducator-editor/, 24 October 2021)

  O.: … how have you been collaborating with the editors of the books you have translated so far? Are you reviewing their suggestions, working together on the text?

  R.P.: On a case-by-case basis. Mona Antohi, my colleague from Humanitas and a truly exceptional editor, shows me the interventions (not many) she makes and consults me every time. I am almost embarrassed, because, as in the case of Lidia Bodea, Mona has an impeccable eye and she sees everything she has to see. I know I only got angry twice when I found out that the editor (I won’t name them and no, they’re not from Humanitas) had turned my translated text into a synonym test. I had written “against,” they proposed “opposed to;” I had written “said,” they proposed “told,” etc. Most of the time, however, I am not allowed to see the editor’s comments. Frankly, I don’t even care. I have no fixations and stubbornness, as I understand other translators have. I just hope that the editing process helps the text and does not boycott it. I’m saying this because I also have examples of editors who have corrupted the translated text (someone else’s, not mine). Scrupulous and sleeping with the dictionary under their heads, they did not see any licenses or deliberate distortions of the original language and hurried to put it in the straitjacket of the correspondences recommended by the reference tools. In this way, they stylistically castrated authors who were not to blame. (https://bookindustry.ro/en/creatorii/radu-paraschivescu-scriitor-traducator-editor/, 24 October 2021)

  I.C.: Surveying the Romanian literary translation market, we can notice that you have had a fruitful and long-lasting collaboration with several renowned publishing houses, including Polirom, Nemira, Trei, Humanitas Clasic. What can you tell us about the collaboration with the editorial team(s)? Does the translator have the final say as regards the definitive shape of the translated text? What is the motivation behind a revised version?

  R.P.: I think I have only overlooked Litera from the list of well-known publishers. Alongside the publishers you have mentioned, I would also list Art, Humanitas Fiction, Cartea Românească, Paralela 45, Univers, RAO, Baroque Books & Arts, All, among others. As a rule, the negotiation with the book editor regarding the translated text is soft and not time-consuming at all. The number of suggestions is small, and, as a rule, I accept them. I don’t obstinately seek to have the last word – I might be vainglorious, but not in this case. On the other hand, I am aware of translators brimming over with confidence and who threaten lawsuits if a single syllable of their translation is altered, as well as of unconcerned translators who won’t even take the trouble to meet the publisher for a chat (“I trust your judgment, do whatever you want, but don’t waste my time”). From my point of view, engaging in a dialogue with the editor is beneficial, provided it doesn’t escalate into a strength sport. As for an updated translation or a completely new one, they hold merit because language undergoes constant change, and a text that resonated as timely and vibrant in 1970 may turn out to be obsolete, archaic and unsuitable in 2020. Updated translations, or more specifically, new versions, are crucial, mainly when it involves literature from the 20 ^th century and beyond. No one will dare to contemporize Shakespeare unless they want to run the risk of becoming ridiculous. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

• Corpus section 5. Authorship, translatorship and meeting the author

  L.B.: Which are your favourites of the 115 books that you have translated?

  R.P.: Rankings are relative and risky. Perhaps, one of the criteria is that of friendly envy: I wish I had written those favourite books myself. The ones I am the fondest now in February 2021 are, in no particular order, “A History of the World in 10½ Chapters” by Julian Barnes, “House of Sleep” by Jonathan Coe, “The Liar” by Stephen Fry, and “The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro. But I’m aware that I wronged Salter, Steinbeck, Burroughs, Golding, Joyce, Hornby, C.S. Lewis, Amis, Lodge, Saunders, etc. (our translation)

  (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  L.B.: Any particular writer who you translated and then met?

  R.P.: I have known few writers that I have translated. I shook Jonathan Coe’s hand at a book release in Bucharest in 2006. I took a picture with Salman Rushdie and exchanged a few words in the editorial office of “Adevărul” newspaper, where he came for an interview, accompanied by Monica Bârlădeanu. I was supposed to have a public dialogue with David Lodge at the London Book Fair, entitled “The Author and His Shadow,” but a volcano erupted in Iceland and the event was cancelled. (our translation)

  (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  L.B.: You have recently translated “Middle England,” the novel by the British writer Jonathan Coe, with Polirom Publishing House. You have also translated his other two novels in the trilogy ending with “Middle England” (“The Rotters’ Club” and “The Closed Circle”), to which three other books by Coe (“The House of Sleep,” “The Broken Mirror” and “Number 11: or Tales that Witness Madness”) add up. How was the experience of translating the trilogy and how did you feel about the last book in the series?

  R.P.: I was delighted to translate Coe’s trilogy even though he didn’t know at first that there would be a trilogy – he even admitted it in a public dialogue in 2019 in Paris. After “The House of Sleep,” it was a familiar territory for me. I felt I knew Coe well as a novelist, especially since, before “Middle England,” I had translated “Number 11: or Tales that Witness Madness.” Not to mention “The Broken Mirror,” even though this is a children’s book. It’s hard to say which of the books in the trilogy I enjoyed the most. Using pharmacy scales, “The Rotters’ Club.” Maybe because there you meet characters who are at the beginning of their journey, in an England that is difficult to mistake for something else, with its mannerisms, idiosyncrasies and complexes from the time of Thatcherism. “Middle England” brings the trilogy to a nice close, up to the time of Brexit, after the story seems to come full circle. Coe himself admits having missed some characters, and, therefore, extending their lives. He claims that “Middle England,” as a literary work revolving around the notion of “Brexit,” can be called “Brexlit.” Around the same time and on the same theme, Ian McEwan’s “The Beetle” was published, dealing only with Brexit. With Coe we have more layers, more levels, more motifs and stories. “Middle England” is a meaty novel and it seems like a farewell to England, which is leaving even if it doesn’t know where. A novel infused with nostalgia that Coe is so good at combining with humor. I have only one regret: that Sean Harding, the prankster from “The Rotters’ Club,” whose letters “to the editor” had me shake with laughter while translating, never turned out. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  I.C.: What kind of relationship did you establish with the author of each translated book?

  R.P.: My rapport with the authors requires awareness of my role as a stand-in, a middle man. Of course, I have personally met some of the authors and shared a minimum of casual conversation with them (Rushdie, Coe, etc.). I have missed the opportunity to meet some other authors, as was the case with David Lodge, whom I should have met for a public discussion at the London Book Fair in 2010. The volcanic eruption in Iceland prevented the discussion from taking place, which disrupted a vast number of events. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

  I.C.: Literary translation requires a twofold approach as it focuses both on the meaning of the text and on its structure, therefore being envisaged as a bilingual process which interlinks and combines in-depth linguistic knowledge and deeply rooted cultural awareness as a result of the exchange of literature, art and culture as a whole. To what degree should the literary translator become a visible presence in this ongoing process? I refer to both explicitation mechanisms such as the translator’s notes (the paratext) and implicitation strategies whose identification by the target readership become even more strenuous, i.e., the translator’s style – translatorship on a par with authorship, why not?

  R.P.: Unquestionably, authorship goes hand in hand with translatorship. It is but reasonable to assume that this would be the case. We can see how the same text is presented in various versions, enabling us to make stylistic distinctions between one translation and another. The example that I have in mind is Baudelaire’s “The Albatross,” which enjoys at least four notable translations. Furthermore, there is a particular virtuosity in the realm of translation, where I believe Şerban Foarţă’s translation of George Perec’s “La Disparition” embodies the highest standard. In Perec’s novel, the letter “e,” the most frequent letter in French, is entirely absent. Impressively, Foarţă succeeds in translating the book into Romanian without using any “e,” the sole exception being the author’s first name. On the other hand, the paratext holds considerable importance, since intratextual glosses – frequently required but potentially irritating to some readers due to their fragmenting effect on the reading process – direct the reader through the text that may at times be lush or maze-like. Concerning the style and hallmark of a translator, these become discernible to the reader only after perusing five or six of their translations. Even then, the translator’s style does not burst forth from the page, but it rather gradually reveals itself as the reader recognizes certain sentence patterns or even particular word choices. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

• Corpus section 6. Reflections on the translation process: dealing with challenges and setting benchmarks

L.B.: A book that you found difficult to translate?

R.P.: The only book that put me to the test was “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie. Two obstacles not directly related to the difficulty of the text also weighed here: it was the first book by Rushdie translated in Romania, and it was awarded with the Booker of Bookers prize (the best winner). This book was a real challenge to me. Not only because the sentences sometimes were so exotic, but also because there were a lot of cultural, historical, culinary, religious, philosophical or lifestyle references that forced me to dig in, to research as if for a book written by myself. I add some translation stumbling blocks related to puns and acronyms (one of the terrible privileges of translators of English authors) and, finally, the number of pages itself – over 500. It is the book that I worked so hard on and that gave me hard times. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

L.B.: Do you ever spend days in a row searching for a word you want to use in a translation?

R.P.: I don’t remember experiencing anything like that. But I have another example, when I had to invent a word. With “Lincoln in the Bardo” by George Saunders. I had to find the Romanian equivalent for something that was neither a stretcher nor a coffin, in which the sick and wounded were lying in the transition from the world of the living to the world of the dead, after reaching the intermediate state (bardo). I invented the noun “bolnăvelnic” (“sickened”). Bearing an archaic flavour, I know. But useful in the given situation. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

L.B.: Any funny translations and mistranslations you have come across in the books you have read?

R.P.: Lots of them, I could even write a book about them (what an idea!), but I doubt I’ll do that. Until I up courage, I can give you an example of two mistakes that I made. Inadvertently, but that’s no excuse. In Frederick Forsyth’s “The Deceiver” I translated “the bonnet of the car” by “boneta mașinii” instead of “capota mașinii.” As a man who did the military service, I knew that cars don’t have caps, and as an English graduate I knew that “bonnet” means “capotă.” The bottom line is that the editor was either careless or relied on my scrupulousness, rushing through the text. As a result, the text was published like this. In another book I think I translated “navel” by “pântece,” although I was thinking of “buric” and although I definitely knew its meaning. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

I.C.: In an interview with Anca Mateescu in 2019 (https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioRomaniaCultural/radu-paraschivescu-despre-numărul-11-sau-mărturii-despre-nebunie-de-jonathan-coe/) you state that you are particularly fond of Jonathan Coe due to his artful use of literary devices and subtle stylistic tools featuring a unique writing style. Going in-depth, after a thorough analysis of the three novels mentioned above, I could notice your steady effort to create a well-balanced text, in an attempt to provide a reader-oriented translation and to bring in local flavour while also preserving the message of the source text. From a literary translator’s perspective, could you mention the main difficulties and solutions related to the management of the figurative language and to ensuring the aesthetic and stylistic impact on the Romanian readers? Could you provide some examples?

R.P.: As I have already mentioned, Jonathan Coe is one of the authors I am very fond of, as both a reader and a translator. I feel so close to him, despite having met face-to-face only once when we launched the Romanian translation of “The Closed Circle.” I am not sure that I see Coe as a literary model – quite the opposite. However, I find his work appealing and I often get the impression that he writes especially for me, no matter how audacious and heretical such an idea might be. As a translator, I have not experienced turmoil or moments of distress concerning Coe. I have taken care to make the Romanian text coherent and to preserve as much of the humour and tenderness of the original as possible. (To me, with Jonathan Coe and Julian Barnes, these two notions are happily married.) I grappled with Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children,” not with Coe. With Coe, there has been only a single minor setback – a self-inflicted one. I started translating “The House of Sleep” without first exercising the patience and caution to read it from cover to cover, as recommended. I was so fascinated by its beginning and the graceful flow of the text that I eagerly delved into it like an infatuated, exuberant young man. In the book, there is a character in turmoil who occasionally utters standalone verses. It came as a great surprise that, at the end of the book, I found these verses under the title “Somniloquy,” making up a brilliant poem with unerring meter and rhyme. I had to come back, unearth each verse and harmonize them with the final version. Other than that, I encountered no obstacles in translating Coe. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

I.C.: In an interview with Anca Mateescu in February 2021 (https://www.radioromaniacultural.ro/sectiuni-articole/literatura/radu-paraschivescu-despre-middle-england-de-jonathan-coe-id26645.html) you claim that Jonathan Coe’s success is due to his writing style comprising features such as irony, biting humour, political satire, bittersweet melancholy, the celebration of the ordinary life, the capacity of putting under the spotlight the flaws of the British society and numerous musical references. How difficult was it for you to understand, interpret and render the culture-bound items against the backdrop of a different socio-cultural context?

R.P.: I have already touched upon some of the reasons for which I treasure Jonathan Coe. I need to refer to Rushdie once again. As far as the challenges of decoding references are concerned, Coe pales in comparison to Rushdie. This is particularly relevant since Coe is renowned for his fervent interest in music and film. Fortunately for all translators, myself among them, Coe incorporates bibliographic references at the end of several works, helping to clarify the meaning of certain statements or excerpts. His enthusiasm for films prompted him to write “Number 11” and “Mr. Wilder and Me,” taking cues from both acclaimed and forsaken films and directors. In terms of music, “The Rotters’ Club” hints at Hatfield and the North, a band hardly known to us, whose concert (and the terrorist attack during it) dramatically impacts the lives of several characters. In “Middle England,” Shirley Collins is featured heavenly performing Adieu to Old England. There are more examples, of course. To sum up, I did not find the cultural allusions in Coe’s works to be difficult to unravel. Certainly, this is due to the ease with which obstacles can be overcome now, considering the immediate availability of information at the click of a button. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

• Corpus section 7. Translation as a creative (re)writing process

L.B.: Does the fact that you are a writer help you when translating or does it hinder?

R.P.: It probably helps me. I can’t say for certain, but, probably, yes. The translator is a more careful reader than many others, and his/her increased attention makes him/her assimilate narrative techniques, devices and rhetoric strategies that hardly reach avid readers or those who are not interested at all. However, the dual condition of writer-translator is sometimes a blessing in disguise. There is a risk that you start resembling the writers you are translating from, especially if you like them. Or, on the contrary, that of making them look like you, which would be unforgivable. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

Do you ever take a break from translating because you’ve developed an appetite for writing? How do you manage the two creative directions in general? Taking into account your rich experience, beyond hard work, can some helpful tips or techniques be distilled?

R.P.: Not at all. If I start a translation, I don’t let myself be distracted even by the sexiest appearance that the muse of creation could make. I do translate to the last word. I learned how to separate the directions – for a while I naively believed that they could coexist at the same time. If I start writing, I write. If I start translating, I translate. There are no more interpenetrations and the illusory helping hands that writing and translation could give. I said on another occasion, as a translator who is also a writer, that I should not let myself be overtaken by the writer who translates. That is, to be careful not to let the writers I translate start resembling me, unwillingly. The corollary of this failure would be that they will resemble each other, which would make me a serial translation criminal. I have to be careful not to allow my favourite turns of phrase to permeate the translated text, so that the text becomes, even marginally, mine. No, the text is authored by Golding, Coe, Steinbeck, Joyce, Rushdie, Hornby, etc. I am just the textual double, the stuntman who turns the English tumble into a Romanian tumble. That’s it. I remember a character from Meserie! (Nice Work!) by David Lodge, a university professor named Robyn Penrose, who had certain clichés such as “this being said” or “when all is said and done.” I translated them faithfully, not thinking of leaving out some of them, because I would have falsified Lodge’s character. Likewise, I have to be careful not to put my own clichés in any character’s mouth. As for the help received from translating, perhaps, by translating (and reading) more English literature, I got to soak up the English humor and I sometimes draw inspiration from it. Besides, it is possible that my prose style could have gained, also via English, from the point of view of the artful dialogue. (our translation) (https://dlite.ro/radu-paraschivescu-in-dialog-cu-10-tineri-scriitori-romani/, 2022)

R.P.: Ioana dear, it is easier for me to tell you who I am NOT when I translate. First and foremost, it’s not ME. One of the serious mistakes a translator can make is to leave his/her mark on the text. The world class translator is a perfect criminal: he leaves no traces, works without giving anyone the impression that s/he passed by. When you translate a book and adapt its texture to your style, even without realizing it, you have just betrayed. Seriously. When I translate a book, I sometimes think of the Snickers commercial and the reply given by one character to another who behaves strangely when the candy bar is not at hand: “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” That is, it’s not me when I translate. And then, who am I? Just a stuntman performing acrobatic stunts between the sentences, meanings and words in two languages. Unlike Tom Cruise and other celluloid heroes, writers do not perform their own stunts. They need a textual duplicate. I could probably be something like that, on two conditions: 1. Not to make the translated writers resemble each other (that is, adapting heir texture to your style, which I have just mentioned). When Jonathan Coe resembles Virginia Woolf and Stephen Fry resembles John Steinbeck, we can state that we have a problem. 2. Not to make the translated writers look like me (because, well, I write, too). It is at this point that we would turn the absolute superlative into a relative one, and the relative superlative into an absolute one in terms of imposture. How would it be like for a reader to stop reading from a Julian Barnes’ novel and say, “Uhm, this looks a bit like Paraschivescu, doesn’t it?” It would be the horror of horrors. I know it’s common sense to say that you are the voice of the author you are translating. I have no such vanity. I am a worker who, from the beginning, assumes the condition of being second hand, and who tries to meet the requirements and his own high standards. I am, as I said, a textual stuntman. Committed to his profession. At the same time, I feel a chill of apprehension when I see “He could see the mountains” translated by “Putea să vadă munții” instead of “Vedea munții.” (our translation) (https://ioanabaldea.com/2023/01/23/cine-esti-cand-traduci-iv/, 23 January 2023)

I.C.: Literary translation could be rightly considered a process of rewriting and recreating art and culture due to the literary translator’s expertise and creativity. In an interview in Ziarul Financiar in 2009 (https://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/interviu-radu-paraschivescu-traducatorul-roman-e-antrenat-pentru-fachirism-si-supravietuire-in-mediu-ostil-4432438) you describe translation as: “a useful, unspectacular and quasi-anonymous” second-hand work, mostly driven by “fidelity, rather than the first spark.” The translator starts from a well-shaped creation, which s/he must render into another language in a successfully harmonizing way, making skilful use of intuition and subtlety. Can the work of a literary translator be considered a creative way of producing texts? Altogether, is the translator allowed to generate further semantic or aesthetic connotations apart from those in the source text?

R.P.: The work of a translator entails few remarkable aspects. Nowadays, the appreciation for such work is slightly better compared to three decades ago, as a handful of publishers – just two or three – deem it appropriate to have the translator’s name on the book cover. Additionally, they include a brief description of the translator inside the book. Reviews rarely mention the translator, and when they do, their acknowledgment is but cursory. I take modest contentment in recollecting that I held a translation assessment column in Horia-Roman Patapievici’s magazine “Idei în dialog,” quite a long time ago. On the flip side, the translator’s second-hand status is taken for granted. Even translators who are writers (I mean excellent writers such as Şerban Foarţă) cannot place themselves anywhere else but in the shadow of the author they translate. This is a logical, suitable and ethical stance. It does not mean that, by rewriting in another language, translators do not engage in creative work. They do, indeed, but only on condition that they do not outshine the author they translate. Irrespective of their expertise, translators are required be loyal to the text. Naturally, extraordinary translation solutions may surface, but they ought to be the result of happenstance rather than a deliberate plan to “refine” the text. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

• Corpus section 8. Reflections on the translator’s status and ergonomics of translation

  L.B.: Do you have a routine when it comes to translating?

  R.P.: My routine involves only one thing, the same as writing: drinking coffee that I make in a pot. I like it, it helps and I love the smell. Otherwise, translation workload being non-standard, I do not have a number of pages per day. God help me (fortunately He helps me). Any time is the optimal working time for me. I used to work well at night. After a small stroke four or five years ago, it dawned on me that people usually sleep at night, so I went back to translating during the day. The only time reference for me is the deadline in the contract. Many editors can confirm that I am never late and that, as a rule, I hand in the translation before the deadline. From this point of view, I’m everybody’s darling. If I have to estimate, and if I’m in good shape, I can translate a 300-page book even in a month, provided I don’t do anything else. Which doesn’t mean I could translate twelve books a year, of course. It is impossible to keep it up. But I remember setting my personal record in 1993, when Doina Uricariu asked me to translate “The Holcroft Covenant” by Robert Ludlum, a 600-page thriller, for Olimp Publishing House in one month. She had the courage to ask for it, and I had the boldness to do it, taking unpaid leave from the National Library, where I was working at the time. Bonus: I wrote by hand. Computers were not popular at the time, and my typewriter needed repairing. (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  L.B.: The translator’s heaven? What about his/her hell?

  R.P.: I admit that I have never asked myself this question. I assume, however, that, at least for some, heaven belongs to that (semi)demiurgic thrill that makes the translator a kind of creator – in other words, a re-creator. Hell? An almost total lack of recognition, accompanied by the very low fees that are current practice in our country. There are translators who make a living on this and, because of the small pay, they take more than they can cope with. Deadlines are getting tighter and tighter, time is running out, fees are paid late sometimes, panic starts to set in. The hell of the Romanian translator is not given by the difficulty of the text, but by the precariousness of income and status. Do you know any quality translator who has TV shows, newspaper columns, conference invitations, media coverage? (our translation) (https://suplimentuldecultura.ro/34426/interviu-cu-scriitorul-si-traducatorul-radu-paraschivescu-romanul-middle-england-e-parca-un-semn-de-ramas-bun-din-partea-angliei/, 22 February 2021)

  I.C.: How would you describe your role as a literary translator?

  R.P.: I continue to identify myself as a writer and, for the time being, as a literary translator, although there is room for debate about this. I am contemplating the idea that the novel I am currently translating (“Bournville” by Jonathan Coe) may be the last in my career unless there is a substantial increase in fees. As for my role, it aligns with that of others: serving as a bridge. Since not all the Romanian readership are proficient in English, there is still a demand for my expertise (and ours) on the market. In other words, I am a textual stuntman, a faceless or nearly faceless stand-in, responsible for providing the author from afar and the local readership with certain elements: professionalism, subtlety and style, loyalty to the text, promptness and accuracy. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

  I.C.: In the same interview in Ziarul Financiar in 2009 ( https://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/interviu-radu-paraschivescu-traducatorul-roman-e-antrenat-pentru-fachirism-si-supravietuire-in-mediu-ostil4432438 ) you describe the literary translator as a hardworking person who rewrites the book in a different language and for a different audience, under the constraints of fidelity, against small fees, enjoying illusory fame and a short-lived and fragile recognition. It is a well-known fact that in our country translation fees are lagging behind salaries and living costs, a fact totally inconsistent with the qualification, efforts and high quality accompanying the work of the professional literary translator. How does this aspect affect your work as a literary translator and how does it impact literary translation in general?

  R.P.: I must be cautious when making comments in interviews – all my words could potentially be used against me. I’m joking, naturally. I have already disclosed my intention to give up translating if I do not see a substantial increase in rates. I have already turned down three translation offers because of fees that I considered low. When I made my claim, one of the commissioners wondered if I had a sense of humour – this exemplifies the firmly ingrained belief that translators can live on air (no diamonds at stake) and on the mere smell of a roast. Therefore, as far as I am concerned, I stand firm – now, as I pen this – to abandon translation if significant changes do not occur. Undeniably, I enjoy a privileged status (although I have achieved these privileges myself, consistently working hard to meet or exceed expectations for decades). I have other means to support myself: radio, TV, articles, conferences, books authored, etc. For others, the scenario is much more complicated. Those who depend chiefly or entirely on translation have no alternative but to agree on low fees. Aiming for a decent living standard, some take on an excessive workload and commit to more than they can feasibly handle. Rather than translating no more than three books annually, they assume six translations under contract, and the outcome is unavoidable: these individuals constantly struggle with tight deadlines, they translate hastily, produce mediocre work, substandard translations. The burden often rests on the editor, who spends a considerable amount of time revising or sometimes patching up the texts. Virtually everyone experiences losses, and the literary translation process is unquestionably damaged. It is seriously affected. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

• Corpus section 9. Expert advice to inexperienced translators

O.: If you were to advise young people interested in literary translation, what would be the first three things they should do and the first three things they should not do?

R.P.: I’m afraid I don’t have many recommendations to make. I certainly have one, even if it seems trivial: not to think that they master the source language. More precisely, not to think that they master it to perfection, capturing all its subtleties. A surprising, unexpected meaning or an unusual combination can occur at any time. Hence, the recommendation: keep the dictionary close to you. Don’t push your self-esteem to the point where you think you don’t need a dictionary. I know an editor (they were also my employer at one point in time) who thought using a dictionary meant being ignorant: “If they look in the dictionary, it means they don’t know the language.” It was impossible for me to convince him that things were completely different. I was even tempted to confess “I know I don’t know everything,” but I realized it would be useless. (https://bookindustry.ro/en/creatorii/radu-paraschivescu-scriitor-traducator-editor/, 24 October 2021)

I.C.: Could you mention some of the most relevant translation strategies and tools that can provide further guidelines for achieving professional recognition in the case of literary translators?

R.P.: I fear that I cannot be of any assistance in this matter. I have no expertise in this area and I have not deemed it necessary to devote time to this pursuit. With more of my life behind than ahead, I cannot afford to indulge in such endeavours. I also hold faith in the joy of translating. If needed, I can provide a name: Luana Schidu. She is a remarkable translator and a suitable role model for many aspiring literary translators comme il faut. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023)

I.C.: Based on your vast experience, what are the most useful or insightful lessons that you have learnt? To what extent do you think these past experiences have impacted on your style and on your approach to literary translation?

R.P.: The first lesson learnt – so simple when looking back – is that it is essential to read the whole book before embarking upon translation. The second lesson is to reject the urge to outshine the author. To steer clear of ostentation, to resist the temptation to excel or “refine” the writer. The author is the one who should be in the limelight, while I am simply a go-between for the Romanian readership, no more than that. The key lesson that a translator who is concurrently a writer must internalize is to prevent the authors they translate from appearing similar to one another, and – most dangerously – from resembling the writer-translator. (interview with Iulia Cotea, 12 March 2023).