Typical and Pragmo-professional tasks

Task 1. You are in the Forum and wish to help that person with his copyright problem. 1. Would he have to get the publisher's permission to publish a different translation? 2. Should he just hire an agent and let that person run interference for him, find an editor, etc.? Have you published alternate translations of existing works? How does a person go about it?

Situation. A friend of mine has translated a Russian-language science fiction novel. He believes his translation is far better than the currently-available edition, published by Macmillan. He has asked me some questions and I have no idea how to answer him, but I thought a couple forumites might know...?

Task 2. From a letter on the Internet. Give advice to the translator.

Situation. I rarely translate books that have already been translated, but sometimes the translator is compelled either to take on the risk of doing the translation without first securing the rights (the publishers of the work in the source language often ignore translators’ requests for information about the availability of translation rights, and will rarely cede them to the translator, and prospective publishers in the target language will almost never acquire these rights without first seeing a translation) or simply to drop plans to do the translation.

Task 3. Situation. Is it possible for you to get into a similar situation? Analyze it. Give advice and solutions.

It has often happened to me that I have translated a work, been unable to find a publisher, and later seen another translator’s version of the same work brought out by a publisher I may have neglected to contact. I am frustrated, of course, that another translator with better connections, better luck, or an agent, managed to do what I couldn’t, but I never regret having done the translation. One consolation, which BGH’s friend seems already to have discovered, is to look at the other translator’s work and to be able to say: "Mine is better!"

Task 4. You areat the on-line forum. Give response to the translator who has problems and questions on copyright.

Hi, this also concerns a situation that I would very much like advice on. This relates to the work of a foreign language author from the 19th century whose original text is out of copyright. A translation of that work has been done in 1920 that I believe is also out of copyright. The translated version contains many anachronisms etc and some mistakes and I have created my own version that contains those improvements - simply a more up to date, defect free and readable version of that translation.

I want to prevent other people from simply copying and publishing my version whilst also publishing my version on websites and as ebooks. Can I claim my own copyright on the version that I have created? Is there any criteria for determining whether my version is fit for copyright e.g. how far my work is different or original vis-a-vis another translation?

Any advice would be most appreciated/

Task 5. Do you ever wonder what becomes of the work you are proud of and do you ever regret that this work remains anonymous? Would you really mind if someone chose to make changes to your creation without informing you?

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29