Some translators ignore style and language of author: expert

Tehran Times Culture Desk
TEHRAN -- Iranian translator Abbas Pejman complains that most Iranian translators ignore the authors’ individual style and language when translation their works into Persian.
“(Careless translators) not only damage the original text, but also confuse the readers; because each text has its own special characteristics,” he told the Mehr News Agency.
“Unfortunately, in Iran, one translates a book by Italo Calvino with the same style he had used for translating a text by Ernest Hemingway,” he added.
He went on to say, “No significant change has recently happened in the field of translation. Of course we should admit that there have also been good translations into Persian. In any case, we need to go a long way to reach perfection.”
“Over the past few years, there has been a new return to the translation of world classics. This is good in nature, but the major reason is that new productions have difficulty getting publishing license, and that is why old works which were translated before are being translated again,” he continued.
With reference to the issue of the simultaneous translation of a work by several translators, he explained, “It is acceptable if the text is a classic work, on the condition that those who undertake the task are competent translators who want to present individualized translations. But the texts are contemporary literary works, fame and financial benefits, and not cultural service, seem to be the motivation for doing so.”
If we observe international laws on intellectual property, we would not face such problems, he concluded.