Translation and the Rise of Inter-American Literature

Book excerpt: The past few years have seen an explosion of interest among U.S. readers for Latin American literature. Yet rarely do they experience such work in the original Spanish or Portuguese. Elizabeth Lowe and Earl Fitz argue that the role of the translator is an essential--and an often ignored--part of the reception process among English-language readers. Both accomplished translators in their own right, Lowe and Fitz explain how stylistic and linguistic choices made by the translator can have a profound effect on how literary works are perceived by readers unfamiliar with a foreign language. They also point out ways in which the act of translation is critical to the discipline of comparative literature. Touching on issues of language, culture, and national identity, Translation and the Rise of Inter-American Literature is one of the first book-length works in this newly emerging field. Combining theories and histories of literature, translation, reception, and cultural studies, it offers a broad comparative perspective rarely found in traditional scholarship.