Translation - art & business » Literature / Poetry »
Would like to publish my translation of a Uyghur short story. What do I need to do about copyright?
Thread poster: tgro719
tgro719
tgro719
United States
Local time: 13:25
Feb 26, 2010

Hello there! To anyone with translation/publishing experience...

I have recently translated a Uyghur short story into English and would like to publish my translation in a literary/academic journal. As long as I cite the original source of the story, is there anything I need to worry about concerning copyright, owner rights, etc?

Thanks in advance for your help.

tim

[Edited at 2010-02-26 04:31 GMT]

[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2... See more
Hello there! To anyone with translation/publishing experience...

I have recently translated a Uyghur short story into English and would like to publish my translation in a literary/academic journal. As long as I cite the original source of the story, is there anything I need to worry about concerning copyright, owner rights, etc?

Thanks in advance for your help.

tim

[Edited at 2010-02-26 04:31 GMT]

[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2010-02-26 17:55 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Sarah Puchner
Sarah Puchner  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:25
French to English
permission from author / publisher Mar 1, 2010

I think you need to ask the original author and/or publisher (whoever holds the original copyright) to grant you the rights to the translation, before you can have a translated piece published. Citing the source isn't enough, except for very limited academic purposes.

There is some very useful - and detailed - information on the PEN w... See more
I think you need to ask the original author and/or publisher (whoever holds the original copyright) to grant you the rights to the translation, before you can have a translated piece published. Citing the source isn't enough, except for very limited academic purposes.

There is some very useful - and detailed - information on the PEN website:

http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/271

In particular, take a look at the translator's model contract.

Good luck ! ▲ Collapse
 
Claudio Brandt
Claudio Brandt  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 13:25
English to Portuguese
+ ...
check the copyright term first Mar 2, 2010

The first thing you need to do is to verify whether the short story you want to translate is protected by copyright. Copyright protection terms vary by country and are normally expressed in a number of years following the author's death. Check with this Wikipedia entry which term applies to your case (use the country of original publication).

If the ... See more
The first thing you need to do is to verify whether the short story you want to translate is protected by copyright. Copyright protection terms vary by country and are normally expressed in a number of years following the author's death. Check with this Wikipedia entry which term applies to your case (use the country of original publication).

If the short story is contemporary, it's likely protected, in which case, as said by Sarah, you need to have a written authorization from the author or whoever is the legal owner of the copyright for the work being translated. Most literary journals will not accept to publish translations without this written authorization.

In case the short story's copyright has already expired, the work is said to be in the public domain, and you don't need to get an authorization, but only to provide evidence of this fact.



[Edited at 2010-03-02 05:50 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
tgro719
tgro719
United States
Local time: 13:25
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Mar 2, 2010

thank you both for such thoughtful/helpful responses.

Tim
 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
NancyLynn[Call to this topic]
Maria Castro[Call to this topic]
Fernanda Rocha[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Would like to publish my translation of a Uyghur short story. What do I need to do about copyright?







TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »
Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »