Sylvia Kall – Translator of the Month
NORLA’s Translator of the Month in April is Sylvia Kall, who translates from Norwegian into German. She holds a PhD in German literary studies and lives in Mülheim an der Ruhr. Her first translation was Ibsen. Kunstnerens vei by Bjørn Hemmer, published in Germany in 2009 as Ibsen: Der Weg des Künstlers. This was a particularly exciting project, as she herself introduced the book to the German market and was involved in securing funding for the publication. She also worked closely with the author to adapt the book for a German readership. Since then, Sylvia has translated non-fiction by Morten A. Strøksnes, Erling Sandmo and Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson, as well as fiction by Nina Lykke and Helene Flood.
How did you end up becoming a translator of Norwegian literature?
I actually started learning Norwegian just for fun. I was studying German language and literature, and because of the linguistic connections, we had the option of taking a modern Nordic language instead of Old High German or diachronic linguistics. I chose Norwegian on a whim, which turned out to be a lucky decision.
I took more courses than were strictly required and also had the opportunity to attend a summer course in Bergen — which was a great experience. To gain practical experience alongside my studies, I worked for a few weeks at the editorial office of a culture and travel magazine specializing in the Nordic region. There, I translated advertisements for holiday cabins, plus some texts for an illustrated book about Norwegian culture, and received positive feedback on my work.
This in turn gave me the confidence to apply once I came across a notice on a university bulletin board about a seminar for new translators from Norwegian and Danish. The course was organized by Bertelsmann Stiftung, and we were a small group working very thoroughly with texts. From that point on, a career as a translator became a real possibility for me. Although I initially tried to secure a permanent position at a publishing house after my studies, the situation in the German book market was very difficult at the time, so I chose to work freelance – and I have never regretted it.
Your Dutch colleague, Angélique de Kroon, passed the Translator of the Month baton to you with the following question:
You have translated very different types of books. Can you mention something you learned from one of them that made a strong impression on you?
One of the best things about being a translator is that you get paid to learn something new – especially when translating non-fiction. Working on Das Buch vom Meer (original title: Havboka, in English: Shark Drunk ) by Morten Strøksnes, for example, was like a crash course in all kinds of ocean-related topics.
But the book that has affected me the most is Libelle, Marienkäfer & Co. (original title: Insektenes planet, in English: Terra Insecta – The little ones that make the world go ‘round) by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson. After working on this book, I have hardly been able to kill a single insect. I always try to catch them alive and release them outside. Once, this even applied to a mosquito – at two o’clock in the morning.
What question should we have asked you?
I wouldn’t necessarily say you should have asked this, but I think it is worth reflecting on how translators’ working conditions have changed over time. My impression is that the book market – at least in Germany – has become very fast-paced. Translations often have to be completed within just a few months, even when they are not related to current topics. This means that you can only accept a commission if you are not already working on another translation. This situation should be the exception, not the rule, if one is to make a living as a translator. At the very least, it has become difficult to plan long-term.
Read more
More about Sylvia on Books from Norway.
Those of you who understand Norwegian can read her interview here.
More interviews in NORLA’s series
Translators are our most important stakeholders when it comes to the spread of Norwegian literature in the world. Their work is of crucial significance, and in order to shed light on this, we embarked on this series of interviews, known as ‘Translator of the Month’.
You can find all of the interviews here.
