The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau
When Felipe Alfau’s novel Chromos was published in 1990, approximately fifty years after its creation, it was nominated for the National Book Award in the US and critics repeatedly commented on the novel’s unique language. For most critics, Alfau’s language was special because of the New York-based,...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Alberta
2011-03-01
|
| Series: | TranscUlturAl |
| Online Access: | https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/tc/index.php/TC/article/view/10052 |
| _version_ | 1811224126106370048 |
|---|---|
| author | Regina Galasso |
| author_facet | Regina Galasso |
| author_sort | Regina Galasso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | When Felipe Alfau’s novel Chromos was published in 1990, approximately fifty years after its creation, it was nominated for the National Book Award in the US and critics repeatedly commented on the novel’s unique language. For most critics, Alfau’s language was special because of the New York-based, Spanish-born author’s decision to write in English. Alfau’s profession as a bank translator has often been dismissed as having any relation with his literature save its disconnection from his creative writing. In this article, I argue that translation techniques are responsible for the extraordinary language of Chromos, and further, that the novel’s existence relies on the narrator’s role as a translator. Translation in Chromos is an integral and essential part of literary creation-- especially for an author working in a multilingual and multinational setting--to the extent that the novel, in its original version, impersonates a translation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:44:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37f18c5b4d4d48beb8fe0a0def2e0cd1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1920-0323 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:44:53Z |
| publishDate | 2011-03-01 |
| publisher | Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Alberta |
| record_format | Article |
| series | TranscUlturAl |
| spelling | doaj.art-37f18c5b4d4d48beb8fe0a0def2e0cd12022-12-22T03:39:44ZengDepartment of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, University of AlbertaTranscUlturAl1920-03232011-03-0113435510.21992/T97H0M10052The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe AlfauRegina Galasso0The City University of New YorkWhen Felipe Alfau’s novel Chromos was published in 1990, approximately fifty years after its creation, it was nominated for the National Book Award in the US and critics repeatedly commented on the novel’s unique language. For most critics, Alfau’s language was special because of the New York-based, Spanish-born author’s decision to write in English. Alfau’s profession as a bank translator has often been dismissed as having any relation with his literature save its disconnection from his creative writing. In this article, I argue that translation techniques are responsible for the extraordinary language of Chromos, and further, that the novel’s existence relies on the narrator’s role as a translator. Translation in Chromos is an integral and essential part of literary creation-- especially for an author working in a multilingual and multinational setting--to the extent that the novel, in its original version, impersonates a translation.https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/tc/index.php/TC/article/view/10052 |
| spellingShingle | Regina Galasso The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau TranscUlturAl |
| title | The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau |
| title_full | The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau |
| title_fullStr | The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau |
| title_short | The Lifeline of Chromos: Translation and Felipe Alfau |
| title_sort | lifeline of chromos translation and felipe alfau |
| url | https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/tc/index.php/TC/article/view/10052 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT reginagalasso thelifelineofchromostranslationandfelipealfau AT reginagalasso lifelineofchromostranslationandfelipealfau |