
The three worst mistakes translators make, according to Nabokov
“The Art of Translation”, a 1941 essay by Russian-American novelist and translator Vladimir Nabokov, is a reminder that there are some translation problems that have been around for a long time – and others that are evolving or downright unique to more modern times. For Nabokov, there are three major translation sins: Mistakes due to ignorance. For example, if a translator doesn’t completely understand a culture, they might not realize how to correctly interpret or explain de