Work

Translating non-binary narratives

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article investigates linguistic and aesthetic strategies employed by non-binary authors in contemporary German-language literature, with a specific focus on the challenges they present for translation. A brief survey of prevalent practices in German and Italian gender-fair language provides background for two representative case studies: Sasha Marianna Salzmann’s Außer sich (2017) and Kim de l’Horizon’s Blutbuch (2022). These texts illustrate the distinct strategies used by two acclaimed non-binary authors to depict gender-nonconforming characters. The analysis then turns to the Italian translations of both novels – Fuori di sé (2019) and Perché sono da sempre un corso d’acqua (2023) – to assess critically how the original German-language strategies adopted to challenge cis-normativity are conveyed (or lost) in the target language. By foregrounding the complexities of non-binary representation, this research underscores the importance of linguistic and cultural sensitivity in literary translation, emphasizing the need for translators to engage deeply with text, cultural context, and author intention, as well as to be mindful of non-binary identities when navigating the constraints of a target language.

Source: Lebende Sprachen

DOI: 10.1515/les-2024-0032

Author: Daniele Vecchiato

Institution: University of Padua

Language: English

Topic: Translation Studies and Practices

Subfield: Language and Linguistics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,712