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The Norwegian Association of Literary Translators (NO)

NO has got 350 members translating into Norwegian from 50 languages. The association also has a number of members who collectively translate from Norwegian into 15 other languages.  NO is an independent organisation, and one of several specialised translators’ associations in Norway. The others are: The Norwegian Audiovisual Translators Association (NAViO), The Norwegian Non-fiction Writers And Translators Association (NFFO), The Association of Government Authorized Translators in Norway (STF) and Norwegian Interpreters Association (TF).The association’s objectives are to:

  • serve as a professional meeting place for literary translators
  • maintain excellence in Norwegian translations
  • defend and promote the shared professional and financial interests of its members
  • insofar as possible assist individual members in other ways

NO represents the interests of its members toward state institutions, before the law, in matters regarding copyright protection, and in other areas. On behalf of its members, NO negotiates and concludes standard agreements with various private and public parties, including the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) and the Association of Norwegian Theatres and Orchestras (NTO). The most important of which is doubtlessly the standard agreement concluded with the Norwegian Publishers Association (Den norske Forleggerforening). The present standard agreement was signed in November 2019 and went into effect from 1 January 2020.

Agreement 2020
Standard contract translations 2020

The old standard agreement from 2006
Agreement 2006
Standard contract translations 2006
Standrad contract Annexe A
Standard contract Annexe B

Articles of Association

Campaign for a better agreementPLR Public Lending RightActivitiesMembershipThe Board and the Expert CouncilInternational
In 2006 Norwegian translators campaigned for five months for better pay and a better agreement with the publishers. Read more: Don Bartlett on how translators successfully stood against Publishers.
NO’s main source of income is the share of Public Lending Right revenue that is allocated to literary translators. The association also receives remuneration collected by Kopinor and Norwaco for, respectively, copying (both analogue and digital) and transmission via cable and broadcast media. While this revenue also finances the association’s daily running, a large part of the remuneration is reserved for grants. Both members and non-members can apply for grants and other forms of assistance.
NO is an active association that pursues and participates in a broad range of projects and initiatives relating both to members’ rights and to matters of professional concern. We organise seminars, courses, workshops and debates, both for members, other translators and a general public, publish a newsletter for members and an online directory of translators, with an annual paper version. For members, the annual autumn seminar, lasting for three days and taking place in beautiful surroundings in Hadeland in the vicinity of Oslo, is a must. The seminar, which has a different theme each year, ranging from how to translate dialogue and slang to translation of thrillers, fantasy or the classics, averages around ninety participants. The association also runs a series of informal and intimate presentations and discussions on selected topics, the «Kollegatreff», primarily for members. There are normally two such events per semester.
Elgible for memberships are professional literary translators translating to or from Norwegian living in Norway, or literary translators translating into Norwegian or Sami living abroad. Membership is based on application. To qualify for membership, applicants must submit two published translations of fiction, drama or poetry, together with the originals. Applications are assessed by the association’s Expert Council.

Services for our members The association has several special support programmes for members. Member may for instance apply to get a portion of their expenses for health insurance reimbursed. Members can apply for help in financing necessary equipment such as a computer once every four years. The association also manages a solidarity fund to assist members financially in unusual circumstances.

Berlin The association owns an apartment in Berlin, which is let to members on a weekly basis, for a rent of 2500 NOK per week. The flat can sleep 4, and there are two functional work spaces. Pictures HERE

Nettverksted.no In collaboration with the other translators organisations, NO runs the website Nettverkstedet where members have free access to a range of dictionaries and other reference works. From this website, anyone can log on to the translators’ discussion forum «o-ringen» to seek help from colleagues via email.

The board consists of eight members. The chairperson and members are elected at the AGM, the chairperson and vice-chairperson by direct election for two years at a time. The Expert Council has six members who are directly elected at the AGM. The council decides on applications for membership, it acts as advisory council on professional issues, and functions as the association’s grants committee. For information on current board and council members, see the association’s website.
NO is a member of the Conseil européen des associations de traducteurs littéraires (CEATL), Fedération Internationale de Traducteurs (FIT) and Baltic Writers’ Council (BWC).

Prizes NO awards the annual Bastian prizes for an outstanding translation work. A list of previous prize winners is found HERE.

Administration The administration has its office at Kronprinsens gate 17, 0251 Oslo. The office has a small staff, and is open on workdays from 9am to 3pm.

Visiting address: Kronprinsens gate 17, 0251 Oslo

Postal address: Kronprinsens gate 17, NO-0251 OSLO, Norway tel.: (+47) 22 47 80 90 email: post@translators.no www.oversetterforeningen.no

 

 

NORSK OVERSETTERFORENING