Any Quote by Lydia Davis

Often, the idea that there can be a wide range of translations of one text doesn't occur to people - or that a translation…

— Lydia Davis

I have always maintained that translation is essentially the closest reading one can possibly give a text. The translator cannot ignore "lesser" words, but…

— Gregory Rabassa

Good translations are one of the vital necessities of our time.

— Lucas Leiva

The best translations are always the ones in the language the author can't read.

— Jorge Amado

Translations are a partial and precious documentation of the changes the text suffers.

— Jorge Luis Borges

I am not one of those translators who think that working closely with the writer will yield the best translation.

— Adam Morris

Though most of my titles are translated into about 7 to 8 languages, I feel that translations, to some extent, can lose the flavour…

— Sudha Murty

A translation can never equal the original; it can approach it, and its quality can only be judged as to accuracy by how close…

— Gregory Rabassa

I think of translations as passing some scholarly smell test: you can read the words of the translation and be reasonably sure of what…

— Christian Wiman

A satisfactory translation is not always possible, but a good translator is never satisfied with it. It can usually be improved. (Newmark)

— Peter Newmark

Things can be translated, but they become different.

— Amos Oz

As far as modern writing is concerned, it is rarely rewarding to translate it, although it might be easy. Translation is very much like…

— Boris Pasternak