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Texts and Translations
The series Texts and Translations is a part of the Modern Language Association's book publication program. The series was founded in 1991 to provide students and faculty members with important texts and high-quality translations that otherwise are not available at an affordable price. The books in the series are aimed at students in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses--in national literatures in languages other than English, comparative literature, literature in translation, ethnic studies, area studies, and women's studies. The series is overseen by an editorial board, which welcomes submissions.
Series Format
- The original language text and an English translation are published simultaneously, usually in companion volumes.
- Plays, short novels, and collections of stories or poems are appropriate for the series. Nonfiction works will also be considered. To keep series publications affordable, the board limits the length of each text to approximately 150 double-spaced manuscript pages (38,000 words).
- The translation is based on an authoritative edition of the work. For works of early periods, spelling in the original language text is modernized.
- The critical apparatus is in English and is included only as appropriate for advanced undergraduates. The following are customarily provided: an introduction of approximately 15 manuscript pages containing biographical information about the author and a discussion of major themes of the work and pertinent literary and social contexts; a short selected bibliography of other works of the author (if relevant) and suggestions for further reading; a note on the text; and footnotes to the text only as helpful for classroom presentation. The translation volume also contains a brief translator's note that makes explicit what kind of translation is offered and why.
Editorial Guidelines
- If you are interested in proposing a project or have questions about the series, please write or call David G. Nicholls, MLA staff liaison to the editorial board, for more information. He will discuss your project with you and provide information about the review process, which has two stages.
- In the first stage, a prospectus should be sent to David G. Nicholls. A prospectus includes the following: a letter briefly describing the proposed text (its length, usefulness in the classroom, availability in other editions, and the status of its reprint and translation rights), sample translations of 5-10 pages with corresponding pages of the original text, a table of contents, and a c.v. of no more than five pages for each contributor. The prospectus should also include a five-page, abbreviated version of the introduction that outlines how the project will address upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. If the prospectus indicates that the project meets the series format, it will be reviewed by the series board. The board will decide whether the project merits further consideration in a second stage of review--the review of a complete manuscript.
- If you are invited to submit a full manuscript, you should send the following items: an introduction of approximately 15 pages, with a works-cited list; a bibliography of other works by the author (if relevant) and of further critical readings; a short note on the text; a brief translator's note outlining special issues involved in the translation and explaining how they were approached or solved; a legible photocopy or transcribed version of the original text(s) with accompanying footnotes (if relevant); and the translation. The critical apparatus should be in English. Everything should be double-spaced. At this point, you should demonstrate that the rights to reprint and translate are obtainable; the MLA staff will advise you on these matters as necessary.
- The materials submitted will be evaluated by two consultant readers. The project will be judged on the quality of the original text and translation and on potential usefulness for North American classrooms. Issues of appropriateness and balance of the series will be considered as well. If the readers' reports are supportive, the project will be sent to the series board for review.
- The series editorial board will review the readers' reports and the manuscript. If the board approves the manuscript, it will be forwarded to the Publications Committee. If the committee approves the manuscript, publication is authorized.
- The books follow series design, but editors and translators are usually consulted about ideas for special cover features.
- Editors and translators receive royalties or honoraria and a number of complimentary copies of the publication.
Proposals should be sent to
David G. Nicholls
Modern Language Association
26 Broadway, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10004-1789
phone: 646 576-5040
fax: 646 458-0030
dnicholls@mla.org
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