Good historical translation preserves meaning, not only words

How much can a work of history lose in translation?

Potentially a great deal; accuracy depends on linguistic skill, historical knowledge and preserving meaning when literal wording misleads.

Loss in translation depends heavily on the translator. Fluency in both languages is necessary but not sufficient; familiarity with the history and its context also matters. A literal word-for-word choice can sometimes be less accurate than a rendering that preserves the intended sense. Readers should therefore treat translation as an act of interpretation rather than a transparent transfer of text.