Carmen Freixanet - Translator of the Month
Our Translator of the Month for June is Carmen Freixanet, who hails from the city of Manlleu, situated between the Pyrenees and Barcelona. She studied Spanish and Catalan languages and literature at the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and later taught these subjects in the adult education sector. Carmen has lived in Oslo for 17 years, where her enthusiasm for Norwegian culture, literature, and language blossomed.
Carmen’s love for literature in general, and Norwegian literature in particular, led her to begin translating both non-fiction and fiction. Her latest translations are Erika Fatland’s three books about her travels to various parts of the world.
Carmen sings in a choir, and she believes that this type of activity helps to release tension, express emotions, and also aids in writing. She now lives in the municipality of Palafrugell, on the Costa Brava coast in Catalonia.
In our interview, we asked Carmen, among other things, these two questions:
Do you have a particular Norwegian book that is close to your heart? If so, why is it special to you?
I really enjoyed Jon Fosse’s Septology. I was fascinated by the depth he achieves with such simplicity in the language. The art of implying and creating a certain atmosphere is remarkable. In the scene where Asle looks undisturbed at the sea, completely immersed in himself, it felt to me as if I were there. Truly special. The level of existential reflection is also noticeable.
What is the best part of being a translator?
One of the best things about being a translator is that you can organize your workday as you wish. Another is that you learn a lot, both linguistically and literarily. Sometimes it is challenging to find expressions that match and are faithful to the original. Other times, it is the style that resists taking the form that the original requires. But it is very exciting. The whole process is rewarding.
Read more
Learn more about Camen on Books from Norway.
Those of you who understand Norwegian can read her interview in full here.
Other translators interviewed in the Translator of the Month series.
