Bengali Literary Translator
If You Need a Literary Translator…
I am not looking for paid work and my services are not available for translating commercial documents. I am available to translate literary works only from the languages I read, including stories, novels, plays, biographies etc. as well as literary essays, reviews and serious non-fiction, though not poetry. I will only review proposals offered by established publishers or agents (not individuals, sorry). My first language is Bengali, and I will consider doing translations in these languages, listed by preference:
- English to Bengali
- Bengali to English
- French to Bengali
- Urdu to Bengali
- Urdu to English
- Hindi to Bengali
- Hindi to English
Since I believe that translation is best done into one’s native language, for translations into English I intend to work in close association with an editor whose native language is English.
My contact email: mails@bengalitranslator.net
আমি অর্থের বিনিময়ে সাহিত্যের অনুবাদের কাজ করি না। শুধু সেই সব ভাষা থেকে অনুবাদ করি যা আমি নিজে পড়তে পারি।
যেহেতু অনুবাদের ভাষা মাতৃভাষা হওয়াই কাম্য, তাই ইংরেজিতে অনুবাদ করলে আমি এমন সম্পাদকের সাহায্য নেওয়ার চেষ্টা করি যাঁর মাতৃভাষা ইংরেজি।
ই-মেল পাঠানোর ঠিকানা: mails[at]bengalitranslator.net
For samples of my articles in English, you can visit blogliterary. A list of recently published articles in Bengali and translations from other languages into Bengali, a few stories written in English as well as a few translated stories from Bengali into English can be found at Published Articles. For my other relevant experience and answers to your questions, please write to me at mails@bengalitranslator.net
শুভময় রায়
शुभमय राय
شوبھوموےؑ راےؑ
Subhamay Ray
“No man is capable of translating poetry, who, besides a genius to that art, is not a master both of his author’s language, and of his own; nor must we understand the language only of the poet, but his particular turn of thoughts and expression, which are the characters that distinguish, and as it were individuate him from all other writers. When we are come thus far, ’tis time to look into ourselves, to conform our genius to his, to give his thought either the same turn, if our tongue will bear it, or, if not, to vary but the dress, not to alter or destroy the substance.”
(John Dryden, On Translation)
“A translation is no translation,” he said, “unless it will give you the music of a poem along with the words in it.”
(John Millington Synge, The Aran Islands)
