Tomorrow they're handing out the Translation Prizes -- six this year (it varies, as some of the prizes are only biennial or triennial)), in an event organized by the Society of Authors and supported by, among others, the Times Literary Supplement.
I'm always disappointed that they don't really market or publicize this event better, but it's something to look forward to each year, and the ceremony, which to date has always included a prominent author giving the 'Sebald Lecture' sounds like a nice way to celebrate translation. The TLS offers a little round-up of the prizes every year too, and in recent years have also reported on the event itself at The TLS Blog; see, for example, Thea Lenarduzzi's report from last year (when Boris Akunin gave the Sebald Lecture).
Since I am aware of how terribly they publicize this event I keep an eye out for it at this time of the year -- only to be surprised to find that this year's event is already tomorrow, at Europe House. Why the surprise ? Because this year's Sebald Lecture -- (Margaret) 'Atwood in Translationland' -- is scheduled for 18 February.
Yes, this year's Translation Prize-ceremony is separate from the Sebald Lecture. You can sort of understand that the British Centre for Literary Translation wants to do it up for their 25th anniversary -- and Atwood is obviously a big draw ("This event is sold out but we will be filming it for our YouTube channel", they already note). But it's a shame that the Translation Prizes have been relegated beyond the sidelines, and won't be basking in any of that attention or glory. Yes, they get "Ian Patterson in conversation with Adam Mars-Jones"; still, quite a let-down after recent years.
Very disappointing. (Also disappointing: that I haven't read anything about this anywhere.)
No doubt, there will still be a TLS write-up -- but it would have been nice if the translators could have enjoyed some of that Atwood-drawn attention, too.
As to the prizes themselves, I believe the winners of only three of the six have been announced so far:
I'm always disappointed that they don't really market or publicize this event better, but it's something to look forward to each year, and the ceremony, which to date has always included a prominent author giving the 'Sebald Lecture' sounds like a nice way to celebrate translation. The TLS offers a little round-up of the prizes every year too, and in recent years have also reported on the event itself at The TLS Blog; see, for example, Thea Lenarduzzi's report from last year (when Boris Akunin gave the Sebald Lecture).
Since I am aware of how terribly they publicize this event I keep an eye out for it at this time of the year -- only to be surprised to find that this year's event is already tomorrow, at Europe House. Why the surprise ? Because this year's Sebald Lecture -- (Margaret) 'Atwood in Translationland' -- is scheduled for 18 February.
Yes, this year's Translation Prize-ceremony is separate from the Sebald Lecture. You can sort of understand that the British Centre for Literary Translation wants to do it up for their 25th anniversary -- and Atwood is obviously a big draw ("This event is sold out but we will be filming it for our YouTube channel", they already note). But it's a shame that the Translation Prizes have been relegated beyond the sidelines, and won't be basking in any of that attention or glory. Yes, they get "Ian Patterson in conversation with Adam Mars-Jones"; still, quite a let-down after recent years.
Very disappointing. (Also disappointing: that I haven't read anything about this anywhere.)
No doubt, there will still be a TLS write-up -- but it would have been nice if the translators could have enjoyed some of that Atwood-drawn attention, too.
As to the prizes themselves, I believe the winners of only three of the six have been announced so far:
- The Saif Ghobash Banipal prize (Arabic): shared by Jonathan Wright (for his translation of Azazeel by Youssef Ziedan) and William M. Hutchins (for his translation of A Land Without Jasmine by Wajdi al-Ahda)
- The Vondel Prize (Dutch): David Colmer (for his translation of The Misfortunates by Dimitri Verhulst)
- The Risa Domb/Porjes Prize (Hebrew): Todd Hasak-Lowy (for his translation of Motti by Asaf Schurr)
- The Scott Moncrieff Prize (French)
- The Schlegel-Tieck Prize (German)
- The Premio Valle-Inclán (Spanish)