ABSTRACT
One of the most important decisions that translators make is choosing what to translate. Looking back at the work by 50-odd writers I’ve translated over the past 50-odd years, I was first struck by the variety and haphazard nature of these transactions. What I now see is a fairly consistent practice of sticking with a particular writer or work over many years, combining translation with teaching and research. Another factor that I only became aware of quite recently is just how long a time I’ve spent learning how to translate, and while I don’t necessarily think I translate better than I did 50 years ago, my translations have changed in response to changing environments. This chapter therefore unfolds as an uneven narrative involving different countries, employment, co-translation and, above all, translatees.
