In 新疆双翻工程 (Xinjiang Two-way Translation Project), Kyrgyz female translator Saina Yiersibaike (赛娜·伊尔斯拜克) introduces a well-funded project based in multi-ethnic Xinjiang. A few factoids from the article: 2011: Project founded by the Xinjiang government to stimulate mother-tongue writing in languages spoken in Xinjiang other than Mandarin + translation between those languages and Mandarin. US$1.63m: Annual budget. … Continue reading Annual Fund: Xinjiang Spending to Inspire Translation, Writing in non-Han Languages
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Tungusic Twilight: Languages of Reindeer-herding Evenki and China’s Last Dynasty Threatened with Extinction
The mid-term outlook for the five main Tungusic tongues of the People’s Republic — Manchu, Xibe, Evenki, Elunchun and Hezhen — is frankly bleak, at least insofar as classifying as “living languages.” Such is the impression one gets from China’s linguistic experts who spoke at the “Academic Conference: Tungusic Language & Culture Under Threat,” held … Continue reading Tungusic Twilight: Languages of Reindeer-herding Evenki and China’s Last Dynasty Threatened with Extinction
Literary Translation: The Collaborative Approach
In the Aug 2014 edition of The Art of Empathy: Celebrating Literature in Translation, Chinese-to-literary translators Sylvia Li-chun Lin (native Chinese speaker) and Howard Goldblatt (native English speaker) reveal how they work together: Sylvia does the first draft, placing emphasis more on conveying the meaning of the original text than on finding the exact words/phrases … Continue reading Literary Translation: The Collaborative Approach
Tungusic Languages Under Threat: Statistics, Research Projects, Strategies for Protection
Following a conference on the dire straits of Tungusic languages in China — virtually all of which are under threat — four very informative articles have just appeared on the Institute of Ethnic Literature site. Since they are in Chinese, I hope to summarize the best parts later, but for now, I site some basic … Continue reading Tungusic Languages Under Threat: Statistics, Research Projects, Strategies for Protection
Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Chatting with Guóbǎo
Murong Xuecun, author of Leave Me Alone Tonight, Chengdu, was in Australia when several intellectuals and activists got together in Beijing this year to commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 "June 4th Incident." Several of those who were there have since been arrested, such as civil rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), and in order to call … Continue reading Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Chatting with Guóbǎo
“Lost Lands of Paradise”: 库尔德村子的故事
I wrote this novel because I wanted to tell the story of a people whose voice is not heard, whose language is not recognized, whose story is not known, who is despised and degraded,” 土耳其籍库尔德作家 Yavuz Ekinci 写道。 他的愤怒是有根据的。80 年代以来，为了对付东南边武装分裂库尔德工人党（PKK）的游击战，土耳其中央政府曾动用了200,000 军队，也宣布了戒严，同时进行了镇压库尔德文化的政策，例禁止用库尔德语授课、出书、播放节目等。 最近几年，所谓 “库尔德问题” 有了一些进展，而且双方今年正在进行和平商谈。也许 《The Lost Lands of Paradise》 （原文：Cennetin Kayıp Toprakları） 得以出版跟这个缓和有关。 故事由三个部分组成：第一部分是从土耳其东南边的库尔德小村子的小孩的角度叙述的；第二部分由他还在世的祖母讲；最后的部分是用第三人称描绘祖母死后，尸体送回家乡埋葬的事。当中孙子和他父亲发现，原来她不是库尔德人，而是有亚美尼亚血统。 这是土耳其共和国社会建立 … Continue reading “Lost Lands of Paradise”: 库尔德村子的故事
Ethnic Literature in China: A Primer for the Uninitiated
A while back I came upon what seems to be a fairly comprehensive look at novels by non-Han writers published since 1949 that deal directly with issues of culture and identity. Entitled Ethnic Minority Novels (少数民族小说), the Chinese-language article is unfortunately not signed, but it appears to have been written by a scholar and published … Continue reading Ethnic Literature in China: A Primer for the Uninitiated
Teaching of Minority Languages in China a Touchy Subject
There is a sizable population of Tibetans in truly multi-ethnic Yunnan, and I was keen to take advantage of this and learn a bit of Tibetan alongside my studies of classical Chinese in Kunming back in 2012. The head of my private language school had difficulties finding a teacher, however, because he utterly refused to … Continue reading Teaching of Minority Languages in China a Touchy Subject
Elif Şafak’s New Novel: A Great Ottoman Architect, An Elephant and His Keeper
Dec 7 2014 update: Review of The Architect's Apprentice The author of eight novels including the best-selling and controversial Bastard of Istanbul, Elif Şafak, has just launched her ninth—Ustam ve Ben—in Turkish. The title literally means “My Master and I.” Curiously, though she wrote it in English, according to Sunday’s Zaman (Homage to Mimar Sinan) … Continue reading Elif Şafak’s New Novel: A Great Ottoman Architect, An Elephant and His Keeper
现代土耳其语文学：中文版本 （表）
现代土耳其语文学：中文版本 （表） (2016 年 7 月 更新的) (欢迎更新、纠正) 为了更齐全的资料，请访问 当代土耳其文学译著迷你数据库 土耳其作家名 中文译著书名 译者 土耳其原名／ 其他已出版版本 注释 Hande Altaylı Maraz / Suferință / Affliction 将由上海文艺出版社出版 Aşka Şeytan Karışır / Djalli Luan Me Dashurinë Oya Baydar 奥娅·巴依达尔 失语 唐江、孙伊 Kayıp Söz / The Lost Word 已由上海文艺出版社出版。此项目由土耳其文化部文学翻译基金会 (TEDA)资助。 Erguvan Kapısı / Das Judasbaum Tor 将由上海文艺出版社出版 Reha Çamuroğlu Bir Anlık Geçikme / … Continue reading 现代土耳其语文学：中文版本 （表）
