The writer and his/her translators - 2008

The fifth workshop for literary translators, a workshop aimed at promoting the translation of Basque literary works into other languages, was organized by EIZIE (the Association of Translators, Correctors and Interpreters of the Basque Language). The workshop took place on September 3-5, in San Sebastian.

Since it is our custom to invite the author of the work that won the Euskadi Prize the preceding year, the purpose of the workshop this year was to translate a work by Xabier Montoia into four other languages: Danish, German, Polish and Catalan.

For the workshop, the author chose the story "Irapuato" from his book Baina bihotzak dio (But the Heart Says). The translators were Pernille Hansen and Juan Mari Mendizabal (Danish), Gabi Schwab (German), Joanna Janiszewska (Polish) and Daniel Luján (Catalan).

As always, the participants discussed their experience in the workshop at a round-table on the last day, and the audience was treated to the reading of a selected passage from the story in all five languages. The round-table was held at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre in San Sebastian.

The translations, together with the story in its original language, were published in a special issue of the journal Senez (36).