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History is rife with women who have made an enduring impact on the fields of linguistics, translation, and interpretation, and in honor of Women’s History Month we have compiled some notable trailblazers.

• – This historian who lived during the Han dynasty (44–116 CE) wrote what has been considered the earliest female metarhetorical work, translated as Admonitions for Women, or Lessons for Women, which served as an inspiration for many later Chinese textbooks.
• – Noted for being the first female university student in the Netherlands, van Schurman mastered Latin, Hebrew, and Greek in her studies and then advanced to creating a detailed grammar of Ethiopian.
• – A Portuguese nun living during the mid-to-late 1700s, Álvares wrote the first Portuguese grammar guide intended specifically for a female audience, aimed at helping young women’s language preparation.
• – This 17^th-century author wrote the earliest known French metalinguistic work and also completed a French translation of Virgil’s Aeneid.
• – Classicist Anne Dacier was a woman in the translation field renowned for creating translations of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey in French, making the works more accessible to people outside of scholarly circles.
• – Russian literature owes a debt of gratitude to Garnett, as she translated nearly 70 volumes of Russian works for English-speaking audiences, including the works of Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Gogol, and Turgenev. Her translation of The Brothers Karamazov greatly helped to popularize Russian writers in England.

• – An indigenous Nahua woman, Malinche served as a bilingual interpreter of both Mayan and Aztec languages during the conquest of Hernán Cortés, translating complex legal and religious concepts.
• – The Shoshone guide of Lewis and Clark, Sacagawea aided the expedition by translating between Shoshone and Hidatsa, helping in the acquisition of supplies and explaining the expedition’s role to potentially hostile groups.
• – One modern female translator of note is Dr. Mona Baker, a former professor at the University of Manchester, who founded the Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies, St. Jerome Publishing, and the academic journal The Translator.

Celebrating Women in Translation at 17c��ҳ��

At 17c��ҳ��’s Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies, we are dedicated to helping students enhance their skill sets to further their careers in the greater language field. On our blog, we’ve created numerous spotlights on women in language careers, including the following:

• Q&A with Amanda Coyle, a Project Coordinator in the Language Industry
• Q&A with Translation Technology Professor Dr. Loubna Bilali
• Revolutionizing Language Learning: An Interview with Bahareh, Founder of Bahareh Teaches Farsi
• Q&A with MCLS Student Reese Bielecki

FAQs on Notable Female Translators

Who was the first woman to publish a book in English under her own name?

, the wife who survived King Henry VIII, spoke several languages and made history as the first woman to publish a book in English under her own name with her translation of Psalms and Prayers.

How did early female translators impact the spread of classical German music?

, a 19^th-century German-to-English translator and musician, translated operas like Hänsel and Gretel and fragments of Goethe’s Faust, making renowned German musical works highly accessible to English audiences.

How did women contribute to indigenous language preservation in the 20^th century?

Female linguists like Mary Haas laid the foundation for American Indian language documentation practices, while women like  actively codified and translated the oral traditions of the Indigenous Ainu people in Japan.

Start Your Language Journey at 17c��ҳ��

If you are looking to give yourself the knowledge and skills you need to advance your translation career, 17c��ҳ��’s Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies offers diverse program options.

Feel free to review our programs and contact us with any questions, or apply today.