Re: who owns an English language translation?

On Thu, Apr 06, 2000, Cynde A. Hale <cyndeh[_at_]dawnsign.com> wrote:
>
> Who owns the copyright for an English Language version of a foreign
> text? Is it the author of the original text or is do the translators
> own the copyright in their derivative work?

Yes. The original author continues, of course, to own the copyright in the underlying work, irrespective of language. The translator (absent a contract specifying otherwise) owns a "thin" copyright in just the one specific translation. Another translator could obtain the original author's permission and create a second translation of the work into the same language. In that case, the original author still owns the copyright in the work, and each of the two translator's owns the copyright in his own specific translation.

> Robert C. Cumbow
> Graham & Dunn, P.C.
> 1420 Fifth Avenue, 33rd Floor
> Seattle, Washington 98101-2390
> Phone: 206-340-9619
> Fax: 206-340-9599
> E-mail: rcumbow[_at_]grahamdunn.com
> Website: http://www.grahamdunn.com/
>

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