Translation into English

Jepasch

Really Experienced
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Posts
135
Hello authors,
if someone wrote a good story in an unpopular language, for example German, are there translators here to translate it into good English?
Google Translate is not a real alternative. As you can probably see from this short request.
 
Having lived in Stuttgart for a year I had no idea that German was an "unpopular language."
 
Hello authors,
if someone wrote a good story in an unpopular language, for example German, are there translators here to translate it into good English?
Google Translate is not a real alternative. As you can probably see from this short request.

No, Literotica doesn't offer any sort of program like that.
 
Hello authors,
if someone wrote a good story in an unpopular language, for example German, are there translators here to translate it into good English?
Google Translate is not a real alternative. As you can probably see from this short request.

I know there are a couple of authors around who are native German speakers but who usually post in English. You could ask on Authors' Hangout to see if any of them are willing to help.
 
If you don't understand the language, how do you know it's a good story?

If you do understand the language, why can't you translate it?

Perhaps he speaks German fluently, but does not speak English any better than I speak German. Meaning I can function in day to day society but attempts to write prose come out like ... Well ... Boogle translate ...
 
I certainly don’t have the knowledge to translate languages, but I have tidied up and made stories into a more readable form when the author has either, on their own or with software help, made the translation into English.

I must admit though, it is slow going and there have been stories I have sent back as unworkable.
 
I second the suggestion that you put a notice at the "Author's Hangout." You might want to find a person who isn't an editor but might want to give it a try.

And it would have to be a pretty good translation, if the story is to have value. One of my tasks as an professional editor for a publication is to solicit a translator for an article we want to publish. The best ones don't come cheap, but they do a translation that stands up to the original, in the sense that a reader fluent in both languages would give each version equal weight for comprehension and for style.

That last thing, style, is especially tricky. It matters if you want to convey flavor rather than just description. Non-fiction translations are easier in this respect than fiction or poetry. It's another thing to look for in a translator, and this sort of understanding usually needs to develop over a period of time.
 
Hello authors,
if someone wrote a good story in an unpopular language, for example German, are there translators here to translate it into good English?
Google Translate is not a real alternative. As you can probably see from this short request.

Do you have a particular story in mind? I could help, at least, with that unpopular language you mentioned.

The one advantage in the non-English corners is that there's less people publishing so your words stay longer in the New lists, e.g. an Illustrated story in German will remain the latest brew for decades to come...if the new stories hub wouldn't lead you back to the English categories :(
 
Translation needs to be into a native language. I can do reasonable German to English though I may miss some nuances of the original, but never the other way round (my level is mostly grammatical but definitely not natural). It could be a useful language exercise.

If you link to the story, then people can see if it's interesting enough to them to want to translate it. Or a professional might offer their rates.
 
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