Publishing African languages in translation is a difficult task. This paper reviews some of the difficulties involved in transcribing, translating, editing and eventually publishing oral texts; it also deals with the publication of written texts in African languages. Common assumptions about orality in Africa, and subtly condescending postures from Europhone historians and critics, are compounding the problems. We should also mention that it is indeed very rare to find good translators: linguists are seldom good translators and few African writers dedicate themselves to the task of translating their languages.