If translation agencies were only assigned books to be translated, they would thrive on those deals, However, it is really rare to both get a book translated and for it to become a worldwide bestseller. Nevertheless, it has happened a few times in history. Books are usually hundreds of pages; therefore, it requires a lot of work to translate them. Additionally, sometimes localization services are required in order to adapt a book’s content so that the central themes and/or message of the story are able to be adequately conveyed. As a result, publishing houses should be careful with the translation company they chose or the professional translator they hire because the success of their book depends on it. Many books have been adapted into box office movies that made them even more successful. Hence, the translation agencies in charge became even more renowned. Although the Bible and the Quran stand as obvious examples of books that have been translated to other languages since the dawn of the printing press, we decided to name the popular example that all of us are likely to be familiar with.
Here the 10 most translated books around the world whose international success depended on translation services:
1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling Owes A Lot To Translation Agencies
We do not even need to explain this first one, as the movie adaptation of this saga was a worldwide success. It did not only make the translation agencies busy but it also gave work to other services like video translation.
2. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll and Translation Agencies
This classic story has also made its way into the movie industry but it remains a book that people read a lot. Translation agencies were required to translate it into over 170 languages.
3. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, A Classic Translation Agencies Know By Heart
This one is a literature classic but also an easy-read depending on the public; one can interpret it really simply or go at the core of it and figure out the moral the story conveys. Translation agencies still had to translate it carefully for it to follow academic and higher education translation services guidelines.
4. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
This famous French writer is studied all over the world. Translating his work requires a special attention to rhetoric and writing aesthetics. For this purpose, translation agencies had to hire professionals in the field of education translation services in order to translate this work, a process that is used to translate educational documents in general as well.
5. Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes and Translation Agencies
This Spanish work is well-known all over the world and is especially popular in more advanced Spanish classes. Translation services specializing in academic translation were part of the vulgarization of Cervantes’ work.
6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Translation Agencies
This one is a very recent book that had the 21st century readers conquered in over 80 languages and made more that one translation agency happy.
7. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren and Translation Agencies
This one was adapted on TV too in several countries. It has been translated from the original Swedish into more than 70 languages.
8. The Adventure of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Collodi’s book was translated from Italian to more than 200 languages.
9. The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé
This very popular comic has been adapted into an animated film and has been translated into more than 100 languages.
10. The Adventures of Asterix by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo, and Jean-Yves Ferri
Since 1959, this French comic has been translated into more than 100 languages. It is one of the most famous comics in the world right now.
Since translation is an integral part of the publishing industry and translation services are always in need, our list could continue on forever. Although university translation services are a more specialized branch of the industry, they are essential to translate literary works.
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