The Beginning Translator’s Workbook

or the ABCs of French to English Translation

This workbook combines methodology and practice for beginning translators with a solid proficiency in French. It assumes a linguistic approach to the problems of translation and addresses common pitfalls, including the delineation of “translation units”, word polysemy, false cognates, and structural and cultural obstacles to literal translation. The first part of the book focuses on specific strategies used by professionals to counter these problems, including transposition, modulation, equivalence, and adaptation. The second part of the book provides a global application of the techniques taught in the opening sections, guiding the student through step-by-step translations of literary and non-literary excerpts.

The revised edition clarifies some of the finer points of the translation techniques introduced in the first edition, provides extra practice exercises, and offers information on a website that can be used in class.