Sbagliando si canta. Riflessioni sull’arte della traduzione cantata

Abstract

This article is intended as a contribution to studies on sung translation, i.e., the translation of sung texts also intended for singing. Known under various labels, including “vocal translation” (Gorlée 2005), “music-linked translation” (Golomb 2005), and “singable translation” (Low 2005: 186), sung translation requires specific skills, such as the ability to create texts for music. The investigation focuses on possible errors in sung translation, considering the genre of the chanson française. The analysis of two separate translations of a song by Georges Brassens reveals that the notion of “singability” can be declined according to various approaches, depending on whether priority is given to structural aspects (such as compliance with the metric-musical pattern of the source song) or aspects relating to the artist’s vocal interpretation.