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The panel included Professor Isabella Camera d’Afflitto (Italy), Professor Sobhi Boustani (France), Professor Luis Miguel Cañada (Spain), and Sarka Hakenova (Czechia). They discussed how translating through a third language can unintentionally distort metaphors, alter geographical details, and reduce the original text’s emotional and cultural depth.
Italian Arabist Isabella Camera d’Afflitto shared examples from her translations of Palestinian writer Emile Habibi, noting how simple expressions can completely change meaning when interpreted through French. “Sometimes even the soul of the story disappears,” she said.
French scholar Sobhi Boustani emphasised that even a slight loss of meaning in poetry can significantly increase. “A literary text must keep its brightness. When Baudelaire is translated into another language, his poetic essence gradually dissolves,” he explained.
Spanish academic Luis Miguel Cañada argued that, while indirect translation may occasionally convey the overall meaning, it often sacrifices accuracy. He also warned that translation errors can become “permanent fixtures” in literary tradition when repeated across multiple linguistic layers.
He referenced historical precedents, including medieval translations of Greek philosophy into Arabic through Latin, to demonstrate how intermediaries have historically affected scholarly transmission.
Czech publisher Sarka Hakenova recognised that translating through another language can sometimes be unavoidable, but she urged translators to be transparent about such choices. “Our task is not just to carry words across borders, but to ensure the bridge doesn’t distort the view,” she said.
The panel was part of SIBF 2025’s wider programme of workshops and seminars centred on translation, creative writing, publishing, and screenwriting.
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