{"product_id":"the-art-of-translating-poetry-practical-guide-for-translators","title":"The Art of Translating Poetry - Practical Guide for Translators","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of The Art of Translating Poetry, the bottom line is clear: this is a thoughtful, practice-oriented guide for readers who want to understand both the theory and the craft of translating verse. Burton Raffel brings a lifetime of experience as a translator and critic to a book that balances linguistic analysis with concrete examples, making it most useful for advanced students, working translators, and literary critics. The book's greatest asset is its dual structure, which pairs technical discussion with practical chapters on collaboration and the ethics of translation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo-part structure:\u003c\/strong\u003e The division into theoretical and practical sections clarifies the difference between linguistic constraints and real-world translation choices.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWide language range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Discussion of Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese, Old and Middle English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Persian, Russian, Latin, and Greek offers comparative perspective across language families.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFocus on prosody:\u003c\/strong\u003e Chapters on prosody and comparative prosody help readers appreciate how rhythm and sound shape poetic meaning.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePractical chapters:\u003c\/strong\u003e Part Two covers collaborative translation, oral poetry, and the translator's responsibility, giving actionable guidance for working projects.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExperienced authorial voice:\u003c\/strong\u003e Raffel's standing as a critic and translator lends authority to his judgments and makes theoretical points readable and grounded.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is best for graduate students in translation studies, experienced translators looking to deepen their approach to poetry, and literature scholars who want a comparative, prosodic perspective. The mix of linguistic detail and practical counsel suits readers who already know basic translation theory and seek applied techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders who want a step-by-step workbook of exercises or a simple beginner's primer on translation may find the material dense; those audiences should look for introductory texts with exercises and classroom activities rather than this more discursive, critical volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComprehensive theoretical grounding that clarifies the unavoidable linguistic bases of translation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConcrete discussion of forms, genres, and prosody applicable to many source languages.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUseful practical chapters on collaboration, oral poetry, and translator responsibility.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe book is more essayistic than workbook-like, so it lacks structured exercises for beginners.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe Art of Translating Poetry\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBurton Raffel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStructure\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTwo parts: theoretical and practical\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLanguages Discussed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIndonesian, Japanese, Chinese, Old and Middle English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Persian, Russian, Latin, Greek\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain Topics\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eConstraints of language, forms and genres, prosody, collaboration, oral poetry, translator's responsibility\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Art of Translating Poetry is a substantial, well-argued volume that rewards readers who already have some grounding in translation or literary criticism. Its mix of linguistic analysis and practical discussion makes it good value for advanced students and professional translators seeking deeper insight into prosody and ethical practice, though those needing beginner exercises should supplement it with classroom resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book include examples from many languages?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, Raffel discusses a wide range of languages, including Asian, European, and classical languages to illustrate comparative points.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the book suitable for beginners?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is more suited to readers with prior exposure to translation theory; beginners may find the essays dense and without stepwise exercises.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book address ethical issues in translation?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, Part Two explicitly treats the translator's responsibility and the subjective element in translation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Burton Raffel","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48193542586587,"sku":"0271028696","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/91MrR1dN0NL._SL1500.jpg?v=1769523843","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/the-art-of-translating-poetry-practical-guide-for-translators","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}