Becoming a Czech literature translator in Poland: the role of trust

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the situation of emerging Polish translators of Czech literature who debuted between 1975 and 2017. In this context, it explores the notion of trust. Focusing on the early stages of these translators’ careers, I trace how trust in their skills was built at the interpersonal, institutional and cultural (regime-enacted) levels. To this end, I present the results of 19 semi-structured interviews with – or personalised surveys completed by – Polish translators of Czech literature. What emerges consistently over this period is the significance of interpersonal trust. Nevertheless, this type of trust had to be reinforced by the respondents’ professional skills. As such, interpersonal trust went together with certain aspects of regime-enacted trust. When applying for official roles in the 1970s and 1980s and into the 2000s, the respondents had to prove their experience in editing/proofreading or translating. In the last decade the focus has been on translation/interpreting skills and institutional affiliation. This change reflects the ongoing professionalisation of publishing industry roles. In the case of poetry translation, trust is also based on another regime-endorsed attribute: the ability to write poems oneself .