Barbara Wright (translator)
| Barbara Wright | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 13, 1915 Worthing, West Sussex |
| Died | March 3, 2009 |
| Nationality | English |
Barbara Winifred Wright (13 October 1915 – March 3, 2009) was an English translator of modern French literature.
Wright was born on October 13, 1915 in Worthing, West Sussex. After attending Godolphin School in Salisbury, she studied to be a pianist at the Royal College of Music in London and trained with Alfred Cortot in Paris. Wright taught at Dora Russell's Beacon Hill School from 1936-1937. In 1938 she married Walter Hubbard - the couple had a daughter in 1944, before separating in 1957. Though she never formally studied as a translator, Wright believed that her work as an accompanist helped her capture the rhythm of text. Her first major translation was Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi, released in 1951 by Gaberbocchus Press.
Wright specialised in the translation of poetic prose and drama with a focus on French surrealist and existential writing. While working on a translation, she immersed herself in the world of the author. Reading other texts by the writer, conferring with Francophones about French idioms and, where possible, forging relationships with the authors were all aspects of her process. Over the course of her career Wright worked closely with, and befriended, Raymond Queneau, Robert Pinget and Nathalie Sarraute. In addition to her translations, Wright authored literary criticism and was a regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement as a reviewer.
After completing translations of two short stories by Queneau, the author proposed that Wright translate his Exercices de style. The work had been deemed 'untranslatable' due to Queneau's reliance on unique French writing styles and language. Trusting her skill, Queneau encouraged and endorsed Wright's improvised English equivalents of French turns of phrase. The result was a resounding success with her text becoming the basis for translations of the work in other languages. In 2008 it was recognized as one of the best translations during a 50 year period by the Society of Authors.
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