Singable translations of songs

Abstract

The making of singable translations of songs is a complex task, chiefly because the target text must be compatible with the pre‐existing music. This article discusses strategies for doing this, and recommends what the author calls ‘the pentathlon principle’ ‐ a deliberate balancing of five different criteria, identified as singability, sense, naturalness, rhyme, and rhythm. It urges translators to consider the specific characteristics of each song‐text, and warns against any general a priori view that identifies a single feature as absolutely sacrosanct: the more margins of compromise are available, the greater chance of a successful target text. The practical examples are translations into English of a German Lied (art song) and of a French popular song.

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