How to cite a translated book in Chicago

Chicago style translated book citation

To cite a translated book in a reference entry in Chicago style 17th edition include the following elements:

  1. Author(s) of the book: Give first the last name, then the name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For more than seven authors, list the first seven names followed by et al.
  2. Title of the book: Give the title as presented in the source.
  3. Translator(s) name: Give the name of the translator in normal order, preceded by 'Translated by' (e.g. Translated by John Watson).
  4. Place of publication: Give the place of publication of the source.
  5. Publisher: Give the publisher name in full.
  6. Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a translated book in Chicago style 17th edition:

Author(s) of the book. Title of the book. Translated by Translator(s) name. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the Chicago style guidelines in action:

Examples

A book translated from Swedish to English by one translator

Larsson, Stieg. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Translated by Reg Keeland. New York: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 2008.

A book translated from Russian to English by two translators

Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina. Translated by Louise Maude and Alymer Maude. New York: Penguin, 1992.

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