Scilla Forti
OPENING YOUR MIND TO DIVERSITY
“The more complex a language is, the more excited I get about the process,” says Scilla Forti about her work as a literary translator. As a regular translator for the Italian publishing house Keller Editore, she often translates German-language works into Italian, such as Mariana Leky’s “Was man von hier aus sehen kann” and Ewald Arentz’s “Der große Sommer”. She tells us what excites her about this work, the challenges involved and why the Goethe-Institut’s translation funding is so important.
What fascinates you about German literature? Why do you mainly translate from German into Italian?
Forti: For me, translating is first and foremost a linguistic matter. That’s why the German language has always fascinated me – mainly owing to its form which is so different from Italian but, precisely for that reason, so stimulating. I enjoy “deciphering” the original text and then trying to translate it into Italian in the best possible way. The more complex a language is, the more this process inspires me. The love of German literature is a direct result of this: literature is the highest form of linguistic expression, and that’s why I find what I need there!
Do you have to like a book in order to translate it well?
Forti: Not necessarily. I’ve always been lucky enough to translate high-quality books, but perhaps as an “ordinary reader” I wouldn’t have read some of the titles I’ve translated because they are far from my taste or personal interests, or because their style isn’t my cup of tea. Nevertheless, I believe that I have always managed to harmonise with the text, precisely because of my love of the German (and Italian) language: regardless of the style and content, it’s fun and gives me an incentive to engage with the text.
What is the biggest challenge when translating a book?
Forti: I can think of many challenges: wordplay, untranslatable terms, ambiguities, socio-cultural references that an Italian reader would not understand. There’s probably no such thing as untranslatable – you can always find a solution, but in cases like these, you need to take the initiative to create almost something completely new.
And this is where the question arises: how far can I stray from the original text? Beyond individual words and expressions, I think that the general difficulty of translation lies in this: finding the balance between faithfulness and clarity – making the text comprehensible without distorting it. In other words, harmonising your responsibility towards the author with your responsibility towards the readers.
Do you work together with the author?
Forti: Normally we are not in direct contact. At most, I occasionally forward a few questions via the two publishing houses – the Italian and the German/Austrian one – if I have questions regarding content that I can’t solve on my own.
Only once did I have a direct exchange with an author who was willing to answer all my questions right from the start. And of course I jumped at the chance! It was a very dramatic and painful autobiographical book, with extracts from diaries, descriptions of photographs and many other intimate details and I wanted to make sure that I respected the reality of the events as much as possible; in some cases, I could not have done this without the direct involvement of the person concerned. So I sent her several questions by email and it all started from there. She gave me useful information to clarify certain events or put them in context and was a truly invaluable resource.
Is there a genre that you particularly enjoy translating and one that you find more difficult?
Forti: So far, I’ve translated books that were very similar in genre: I would describe them all as contemporary fiction, because even the autobiographical ones had a strong narrative character. I think this is the area in which I work best. I’ve also recently had the opportunity to try my hand at scientific non-fiction, but I think this is an area where I shine less, as it doesn’t require much linguistic creativity, which I think is one of my strengths. I haven’t yet translated specific genres such as romance novels, crime novels or thrillers, nor children’s or young adult literature – but you should never say never!
How do you manage to transfer your personal writing style from German into Italian and is it always possible?
Forti: Unless they are very experimental works, I think it’s always possible. Of course, some subtleties are lost, but the general style and tone can definitely be transferred. My approach is very instinctive. I don’t use any special techniques, but immerse myself directly in the text and first try to “imitate” every aspect of the work, however small, by sticking as closely as possible to the writing style, even if this means that the translation comes across as somewhat “stiff”. I gradually move away from this in the drafts that follow, but by the end of the first version I have already internalised the author’s writing style, so it seems natural to me to think from his or her perspective. After hundreds of pages, I think this is inevitable!
In your opinion, what is the significance of translating literature into other languages?
Forti: It may sound trivial, but without translations, many readers would be excluded from an enormous literary heritage, and what would a country be that limited itself to publishing only works written in its own language? Translating literature from other countries means moving between topics and styles; getting to know historical-cultural realities that we would not have access to unless we travelled to each location; confronting the concept of “foreign” and learning not to be afraid of it; opening your mind and embracing diversity.
What role does the Goethe-Institut’s translation funding programme play in your work?
Forti: The translation grant from the Goethe-Institut has enabled me to work for fees that are above the market average. This in turn allowed me to translate in peace without overloading myself with too much work, as sometimes happens when the fees are low. But beyond the economic aspect and the individual benefits for the assigned translators, the programme is valuable for the dissemination of courageous works that might have difficulty finding their place in Italy without the support of the Goethe-Institut.
Can you tell us about a particularly enjoyable experience in your work as a translator?
Forti: One of the best experiences was a short tour of schools in Italian-speaking Switzerland a few years ago, which I did together with the author Irena Brežná. Her book was the very first one I translated, so I still have a special bond with it today. I was also still very young at the time, so it was a very formative and instructive experience for me. During this mini-tour, I had the opportunity to spend several days with Irena, get to know her personally and to exchange opinions with school pupils about the translation of the book, which also taught me a lot.
Which book from German-language literature that you have translated has particularly inspired you?
Forti: I have a strong affection for “Was man von hier aus sehen kann” by Mariana Leky because it marked a turning point in my career. But if I think of one book that really inspired me and that I would recommend to anyone, it would be “Der Zopf meiner Großmutter“ by Alina Bronsky. I feel a natural affinity with this author, particularly owing to her unique sense of humour, which comes across even more strongly here than in her earlier book “Baba Dunjas letzte Liebe”. I was in harmony with her style from the very first pages, almost effortlessly, and it’s wonderful when something like this happens.