Translating for singing: reflections on theory and practice of singable translation

Reflections on the theory and practice of singable translation: a musicological approach

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15174/rv.v19i38.881

Abstract

Song translation, particularly in its singable mode, constitutes a complex challenge demanding highly constrained decisions. This article reexamines the theory and practice of such translation through the lens of music theory, focusing on the specificities of the pop music genre.
Drawing on fundamental compositional elements, such as meter, repetition, and the music-text symbiosis, the study proposes a framework bridging translation studies and music composition. This approach introduces three key analytical criteria: structural correspondence, genre-specific correspondence, and the influence of extratextual factors. The aim is to systematize elements essential for the musical viability of the target text and to address the practical implications of these perspectives.

Author Biography

Carmela Simmarano, Universidad de Sevilla

Doctora en Estudios Filológicos y Lingüísticos (Lengua y Literatura Italiana) y en Literatura, Lengua y Artes (Lengua Española). Título obtenido en régimen de cotutela internacional entre la Universidad de Sevilla (España) y la Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (Italia) en 2024, con mención cum laude. Actualmente, es profesora contratada de Lengua y Traducción Española en la Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro; Italian Language Assistant en University College Dublin. Su universidad de adscripción es la Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, en el Departamento de Investigación e Innovación Humanística, y la Universidad de Sevilla, en la Facultad de Filología. Sus líneas de investigación son: singable translation (traducción cantable): análisis del marco teórico y metodológico actual, con atención en la teoría de la composición musical en la música pop; estrategias de traducción: identificación de estrategias para pares de lenguas y géneros musicales específicos (italiano-español); enseñanza: uso de la singable translation como herramienta en entornos de aprendizaje multilingüe y formación docente; perspectivas culturales: enfoque en la música moderna desde perspectivas interculturales y feministas. Sus recientes publicaciones son: “La Singable Translation e il mondo Disney: nuove prospettive nella didattica della traduzione”. En L. Vilei y C. Averna (eds.), L’italiano in connessione (pp. 559-572). Peter Lang, 2025; “Il corpo femminile nel testo cantato: da Mina a Mónica Naranjo”. En R. Onnis y M. Spinelli (eds.), Raccontare i corpi delle donne (pp. 195-204), 2024, Cesati Editore; “La emancipación femenina a través de la música: L’importante è finire de Mina y su traducción”. En C. Bauçà de Mirabò Gralla y otros (coords.), Recorridos didácticos de las Ciencias sociales y humanas (pp. 27-43), 2023, Dykinson S. L.

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Published

2026-07-01

How to Cite

Simmarano, C. (2026). Translating for singing: reflections on theory and practice of singable translation: Reflections on the theory and practice of singable translation: a musicological approach . Valenciana, 19(38), 253–279. https://doi.org/10.15174/rv.v19i38.881

Issue

No. 38 (2026): Valenciana, julio-diciembre 2026

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Dossier

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Copyright (c) 2026 Carmela Simmarano

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