An Argument for Footnotes: The Special Case of Translating Tito Maniacco’s Mestri di mont (2007)

Abstract

The works of Italian/Friulian author, Tito Maniacco (1932–2010), including Mestri di mont (2007), incorporate a multitude of allusions. One of the problems authors face when using allusions is that, if their reader does not recognize the allusion, meaning can be lost. This problem is exacerbated when a work moves across cultural borders. While Mestri di mont is written in Italian, the Friulian language features prominently, and there is also a smattering of French and Latin. In this article, I discuss my approach to handling these two challenges in bringing this text across into English: the multiple languages and allusions. My aim is to explain why footnotes were my chosen strategy for transmitting additional information to a new readership. In the field of translation, footnotes are controversial. In the case of Mestri di mont, footnotes served to convey information and insights for an improved reading experience.