The Translators' Take on Three Possible Typos in Jorge L. Borges' Story “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius”

This article examines how translators tackled the problem given by three possible typos in Jorge Luis Borges' short story “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius.” Translations to all major Western languages are considered. The translators' decisions are found to display great diversity. Some of them treat the textual changes in question as mere typos, while others incorporate the changes (be it partially, in full, or even in excess). Borges' role in altering the text can only be assessed indirectly as no hard evidence, such as corrected galley proofs or written accounts, is known to exist. The present findings allign well with Sánchez's complementary analysis of the context in which the three textual changes occur and how they indirectly impact the plot. In case they are not mere typos, the changes discussed here could obey Borges' decision to reintroduce a metaliterary element of surprise into the story.