Umberto Eco

Umberto Eco (1932–2016) was an Italian novelist, philosopher, medievalist and professor of semiotics, best known for The Name of the Rose. His work blended scholarship and fiction; his quote 'To translate a book is to write it for the second time' emphasizes interpretation and the creative role of translation.

Quotes by Umberto Eco

Quotes: 1

To translate a book is to write it for the second time. — Umberto Eco

Translation as Literature’s Second Act of Creation

Ultimately, translating a book weaves a conversation between the original author and the translator. As Eco himself explored in *Experiences in Translation* (2001), the process’s nuances ensure that each version carries both the writer’s and translator’s voices. Thus, to translate is indeed to write the book again—this time, with a new hand shaping its journey across linguistic and cultural boundaries. [...]

Created on: 6/13/2025