L'industria della traduzione. Realta a prospettive del mercato italiano. Gianni Davico. 2005.

Edizioni Seb 27 Turin. Pp 136. € 12.00  ISBN 88-86618-45-X

This account of the Italian translation industry has chapters on the history of three translation agencies; the typology of translation companies; a description of the posts in the industry; details of translation company associations in Europe and North America; brief descriptions of the main 'strategies': marketing; pricing; positioning; competing and collaborating; investing and returns; localisation; a bibliography of the field, with a quaint reference to Mounin's 'classic'; and a glossary.

Davico gives many interesting statistics (up to Feb. 2005): for example, in Italy. There are about 10 – 15,000 translators and 600 – 800 agencies.  The total turnover is between 600 and 700 million euros. The 'industry' is relatively new, the profession regarded as secondary, and no one gets rich. Davico describes the 'translation scene' in a lively and pertinent way, either through schematic FAQs and As, or through chatty interviews with the real players.

The book would be invaluable for anyone involved in specialised translation in Italy, but does not go beyond that.

Peter Newmark, University of Surrey