A certified translation of books is not generally needed, but literature is still very close to our hearts. And where would the world of books be without translation and interpretation? There are plenty of famous works which the English-speaking world would never have known about without the presence of a translator or two. Without translation, religion would not have spread as far and as wide as it has. Certified translation has helped to bring many essential documents and popular stories to a broader audience. But what are the most translated books in the world? Let’s take a look. The Bible It should come as no surprise that the Christian Bible is the most widely translated book in the world. It is estimated to sell over 100 million copies worldwide each year, and it has been translated into 469 different languages. It’s hardly surprising that it remains that most widely-read book of all time. The Bible was originally produced in Latin and that was the authoritative text. Translation was often discouraged up until the Reformation, when the Bible began to be produced on a large scale in local languages, allowing for a much wider readership. The Quran The holy text of Islam has also been widely translated, with it reportedly now being available to be read in up to 112 different languages worldwide. The book was originally written in Arabic but has made its way across the world, both geographically and linguistically. Although Islam does encourage the learning of Arabic in order to read the original version, it’s obviously much more accessible when translated into the vernacular. The Adventures of Pinocchio Thought to be the most widely translated non-religious text of all time, Pinocchio has been enjoyed by millions of children worldwide reading it in one of 260 different languages. That’s an impressive tally considering the book was only published in 1883! It is, of course, perhaps more popular with animation fans as one of Walt Disney’s first and most enduring animated feature films. The Little Prince Children and adults have been reading this poetic tale far and wide! Antoine De Saint-Exupery’s book has sold more than 50 million copies the world over, and it’s not even 80 years old! It has been translated into 180 different languages. The Adventures of Asterix The enduring comic adventures of Asterix and Obelix the Gauls have been translated into 112 different languages worldwide, having been the brainchild of Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It’s a series which continues in one form or another to this day, with Asterix and friends still getting plenty of movie adaptations as recently as just a few years ago.
Harry Potter Showing just how phenomenally popular JK Rowling’s world-famous Harry Potter series is, the boy wizard’s adventures have been translated into an impressive 67 different languages. That’s an impressive tally considering the first book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, was first published as recently as 1997. They’re fairly long too, so translating just one book, let alone the whole series, would take many hours of hard work from highly skilled (if not certified) translators. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland One of the most influential fantasy novels of all time, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have leapt from book to book and from screen adaptation to screen adaptation. It was Lewis Carroll’s most widely-read work, having been translated into almost 100 different languages. Certified translations help to make sure nothing is lost during cross-communication. When it comes to translating stories, it’s just as important to make sure no meaning or elements are lost along the way! Certified translation is our specialty, but we’re also general translators with a wide range of experience and skill sets, so if you do need a novel translating, just get in touch! We’d be very happy to help. Long and creative jobs like translating books add a nice touch of variety to our regular work doing certified translations of medical, legal and other official documents. Whatever you need translating, we guarantee the highest quality and the lowest prices. We look forward to hearing from you.