Translating non-binary narratives

Abstract This article investigates linguistic and aesthetic strategies employed by non-binary authors in contemporary German-language literature, with a specific focus on the challenges they present for translation. A brief survey of prevalent practices in German and Italian gender-fair language provides background for two representative case studies: Sasha Marianna Salzmann’s Außer sich (2017) and Kim de l’Horizon’s Blutbuch (2022). These texts illustrate the distinct strategies used by two acclaimed non-binary authors to depict gender-nonconforming characters. The analysis then turns to the Italian translations of both novels – Fuori di sé (2019) and Perché sono da sempre un corso d’acqua (2023) – to assess critically how the original German-language strategies adopted to challenge cis-normativity are conveyed (or lost) in the target language. By foregrounding the complexities of non-binary representation, this research underscores the importance of linguistic and cultural sensitivity in literary translation, emphasizing the need for translators to engage deeply with text, cultural context, and author intention, as well as to be mindful of non-binary identities when navigating the constraints of a target language.