Question

Which element from the original text is captured in an ideal literary translation?

A. Interesting facts about the author's life
B. Correct connotations of words
C. The translator's personal biases
D. Information about the time period

Answer 1

The answer is B: Correct connotation of words.

The task of a translator is to capture the “spirit” of the original text, sticking as close as possible to the connotation of the original words. That is to say, a translator´s job is to be able to convey meaning in another language that can emulate the original source and can take the reader as close to the original sense as possible.