Catalan women translators: an introductory overview

Abstract

Until recently, the history of Catalan translation was rarely the object of rigorous studies and even less was written about the role of women within it. Nevertheless, and even though the texts they produced may not date as far back as in other cultures, female Catalan translators have left an important legacy that is closely connected to the vicissitudes of Catalan history itself. It is perhaps precisely because of the identity of the writers – who belong to three non-hegemonic groups: women, Catalans and translators – that the history of their work has remained largely unexplored. The present article aims to offer an initial assessment of that history in the hope of stimulating further research in this important and neglected field. We present a detailed survey of Catalan translations undertaken by women between the medieval period and the present day, and a critical discussion of the context in which these women worked as well as their place within it.