Literary Translation from Arabic, Hebrew and Turkish into English in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 1990 - 2010 Making Literature Travel series Literature Across Frontiers, 2011 Mercator Institute for Media, Languages and Culture Aberystwyth University, Wales LITERARY TRANSLATION FROM ARABIC, HEBREW AND TURKISH INTO ENGLISH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND, 1990-2010 a report prepared by Alexandra Büchler, Alice Guthrie, Jasmine Donahaye, Duygu Tekgül with research assistants Barbora Černá and Michal Karas October 2011 Making Literature Travel series of reports on literary exchange, translation and publishing Series editor: Alexandra Büchler The report was prepared as part of the Euro-Mediterranean Translation Programme, a co-operation between the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures, Literature Across Frontiers and Transeuropéenes, and with support from the Culture Programme of the European Union. Literature Across Frontiers, Mercator Institute for Media, Languages and Culture, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 UK: England & Wales License. 1 Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................6 1.1 Framework .......................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Method and scope ................................................................................................. 6 1.3 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 7 1.3.1 Literary translation in the British Isles ................................................................... 7 1.3.2 Literature translated from Arabic, Hebrew and Turkish — volume and trends ................... 8 1.3.3 Need for reliable data on published translations ....................................................... 8 1.3.4 The role of the media ....................................................................................... 9 1.3.5 Translators, translator training, work conditions and quality control .............................. 9 1.3.6 Publishing, marketing of books and support for translation ......................................... 10 1.3.7 Literary exchange and mobility ........................................................................... 10 1.4 Main conclusions ................................................................................................. 11 1.4.1 Key role of subsidies ........................................................................................ 11 1.4.2 Need for stronger synergies and cooperation strategies ............................................. 12 1.4.3 In-depth study of the current environment is called for to chart the way forward ............. 12 1.5 Recommendations ............................................................................................... 12 1.5.1 Bibliography and translation statistics .................................................................. 12 1.5.2 Translators, training and conditions of work ........................................................... 12 1.5.3 The book trade .............................................................................................. 13 1.5.4 Outreach to independent presses ........................................................................ 13 1.5.5 E-publishing .................................................................................................. 13 1.5.6 Translation and the media ................................................................................. 13 1.5.7 Review culture ............................................................................................... 13 1.5.8 Libraries ....................................................................................................... 14 1.5.9 Promotion of literature, relationship between translation funders and publishers ............. 14 1.5.10 Ensuring diversity in publishing and programming of festivals, venues and projects ........... 14 1.5.11 Support for literary exchange and mobility ............................................................ 14 1.5.12 A centralised online resource ............................................................................. 14 1.5.13 Advocacy and funding for translation ................................................................... 14 2 PREFACE ....................................................................................................... 16 2.1 Background ....................................................................................................... 16 2.2 Method and scope ............................................................................................... 16 2.3 Literary translation in the British Isles ...................................................................... 17 2.4 Literary exchange as part of fostering international cultural relations ............................... 18 2.5 Overview of literary exchange and translation publishing and support infrastructure ............. 19 LITERARY TRANSLATION FROM ARABIC INTO ENGLISH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND, 1990 – 2010 ................................................................................................................. 22 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 22 3.1.1 Early Arabic literature ...................................................................................... 22 3.1.2 Arabic literary translation in the twentieth century .................................................. 22 3.1.3 Linguistic and literary issues of note .................................................................... 24 4 PUBLISHING .................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Towards a bibliography of published translations ......................................................... 25 4.1.1 What is published? .......................................................................................... 26 4.1.2 Publishers, magazines, websites ......................................................................... 27 4.2 Profiles of publishers ........................................................................................... 28 4.2.1 Banipal Magazine of Modern Arab Literature ........................................................... 28 4.2.2 American University in Cairo Press ....................................................................... 29 4.2.3 Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing ............................................................... 31 4.2.4 Saqi Books .................................................................................................... 32 4.2.5 Haus Arabia Books ........................................................................................... 32 4.2.6 Garnet Publishing / Ithaca Press ......................................................................... 33 4.2.7 Bloomsbury Publishing ...................................................................................... 33 4.2.8 Other UK publishers with Arabic titles .................................................................. 33 4.3 Key publishing issues............................................................................................ 34 4.3.1 Selection process ............................................................................................ 34 4.3.2 Key influences on selection ............................................................................... 36 4.3.3 Sample translations for publishers ....................................................................... 37 4.3.4 Translator selection and editorial support ............................................................. 38 2 4.3.5 Editing process ............................................................................................... 40 5 DISSEMINATION AND RECEPTION ................................................................................ 41 5.1 Print runs and re-editions ...................................................................................... 41 5.1.1 Theatre and radio productions ............................................................................ 46 5.1.2 Literary festivals and projects ............................................................................ 47 5.1.3 Promoting unknown writers to readers and publishers ............................................... 48 5.1.4 A forum for consciousness-raising by Arabs ............................................................ 48 5.2 Media and critical reception .................................................................................. 50 6 POLICY AND PUBLIC / PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION ................................... 53 6.1 Public and private sector support from UK and Ireland cultural institutions ......................... 53 6.1.1 Publishers’ perspectives on subsidies.................................................................... 54 6.1.2 Translators’ perspectives on public funding ............................................................ 55 6.2 Literature and Translation Prizes............................................................................. 55 6.3 Public and private sector support for translation and dissemination of literature from the