Autore, traduttore
Translation: Kristin Addis
Abstract
In the opinion of author Unai Elorriaga, who has translated his own works into Spanish, including the novel, SPrako tranbia [The Tram to SP], which won the National Literature Prize in the category of narrative, the crux of literary translation is to maintain the spirit of the original work in the translation. In order for this to happen, however, it is sometimes necessary, as he attempts to clarify throughout the article, to change even the form of the original writing. Nevertheless, the translator is not permitted to change the content (unless he has the express agreement of the author), something that is not always possible to achieve (sometimes for obvious reasons). Elorriaga concludes by stating that he has the impression that no one can better translate a literary work than the person who wrote it, though always under the assumption that translation is the most imperfect aspect of creation.
