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Esperanto, Quechua, Guarani or Korean. The next four books were born in Spanish, but thanks to their dozens translations they have reached every corner of the globe. They are the most translated books from Spanish language.
22 july 2016
There are more than a thousand translations of the New Testament, 462 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, more than 200 of The Little Prince or Pinocchio and, surprisingly, hundreds of translations of works by Jehovah's Witnesses. Lewis Carroll, Hans Christian Andersen or even Hergé, Tintin’s father, are among the most translated authors in the world. And there are, of course, writers in Spanish language. From Cervantes to Gabriel García Márquez, we list the four works of the Hispanic literature that have crossed more borders.
- Don Quixote
Cervantes’ greatest work easily heads this list, not just for the volume of translations but also for their seniority: the first versions in English and French were made in 1612 and 1614, respectively. Nevertheless, 400 years after Cervantes’ death, the concrete number does not seem to be all clear: the amount ranges from 48 until 140, and some sources have even ventured to raise it to more than 200. Regardless whether it is or not the most read book in the world, it is in any case a work that even today keeps expanding its horizons.
- The Family of Pascual Duarte
From the centenary of a death to the centenary of a birth, in this case the birth of a Nobel Prize for Literature. The work by Camilo José Cela, same as its spiritual twin The Outsider, by Camus, has been translated up to 39 occasions (so far), to languages such as Mandarin or Esperanto.
- One Hundred Years of Solitude
At least 35 languages have been able to enjoy the magical work by Gabriel García Márquez. A special mention should be made to the English version by Gregory Rabassa - who died this year -, which amazed the Colombian writer. It is not the most translated, but its author has received one (another) very special distinction: according to the UNESCO’s Index Translatorium, he is the only author in Spanish language that is among the 50 most translated in History.
- Platero and I
Often cited as the “most translated book in the world after Don Quixote and the Bible”, it is difficult to find a definitive list that includes the total number of translations of the narration by Juan Ramón Jiménez. For instance, the Regional Government of Andalusia notes 36 versions in other languages, but it does not include other known translations, such as the most recent one to Quechua. However, there is no doubt that it is one of the most widely read novels of 20th century.
