Margherita Podestà Heir - Translator of the Month
Margherita has translated plays, films and so far more than 70 books, mostly fiction, from Norwegian to Italian, but she also translates from Swedish and Danish. Conveying the importance of translation to non-professionals, is something she finds very rewarding and inspiring, and also exchanging ideas and experiences with colleagues from all over the world.
She first came to Norway in 1981, as a 16-year-old exchange student. It was a challenging, wonderful year, where she quickly learned that words are not just words, they can often have totally different meanings depending on the country you are from, noticing, for example, how the Norwegian “fest” varies somewhat from the corresponding Italian “festa”. Margherita went to the university college at Lyngseidet in northern Norway, and studied Norwegian and Scandinavian literature, first at the University of Milan, and then at The University of Oslo while writing her post-graduate thesis on Sigbjørn Hølmebakk.
Margherita has since translated works by a large number of Norwegian authors;
Jon Fosse, Karl Ove Knausgård, Vigdis Hjorth, Matias Faldbakken, Tore Renberg, Zeshan Shakar, Erik Fosnes Hansen, Carl Frode Tiller, Jostein Gaarder, Anne Holt, Jo Nesbø, Tom Egeland, Niels Fredrik Dahl, Linn Ullmann, Karin Fossum, Henrik Ibsen, Sigrid Undset, Åsne Seierstad, Geir Tangen and Klaus Hagerup.
Do you have another job besides translating?
Yes. I am lucky enough to teach Italian here in Norway, which is something I have done for over 30 years. In 1994, I founded the language school Språkskolen Ciao at the request of the Italian Embassy in Oslo. I love spreading my language and culture. Being able to connect with so many wonderful people with such different backgrounds, needs and experiences allows me to become even better acquainted with the many cultural and linguistic challenges that characterize both Norwegian and Italian. It comes in extremely handy when I’m translating.
What is your very best advice for those who would like to become translators?
Read, read, read everything you can in order to constantly expand your vocabulary both in terms of your native language and the language you will be translating from. At the same time, take advantage of every chance you get to expand your knowledge of the other country’s culture. You never stop learning.
Of all the books you have translated, which ones have given you the most joy?
Many of them. I should definitely mention Our Street (Tante Ulrikkes vei) by Zeshan Shekar, Ingeborg’s Tollak (Tollak til Ingeborg) by Tore Renberg, Septology (Septologien) by Jon Fosse, Encircling 1 (Innsirkling 1) by Carl Frode Tiller and all the My Struggle (Min kamp) books by Karl Ove Knausgård. So different from each other, but there is so much to learn from all of them.
Read more
Learn more about Margherita 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.
