Here's one of the first reviews that I've seen of Howard Goldblatt's and Sylvia Li-chun Lin's rendering of Alai's The Song of Gesar, and one that I particularly enjoyed because reviewer Jim Murdoch is a Scottish writer who does his research, takes a stand and makes no claim to being a China hand: When this book … Continue reading Alai’s “The Song of Gesar”: Abridged, Prose-driven Text and Lack of Annotations Disappoint
Excerpt: Uyghur Writer Alat Asem’s “Sidik Golden MobOff”
Here's an excerpt from my translation of Sidik Golden MobOff (《斯迪克金子关机》) by the bilingual Uyghur author, Alat Asem (阿拉提 · 阿斯木), that is published in full in Issue 14 of Chutzpah!: IN A WORLD of snow and ice, buses began to budge and Muslims began to discuss Sidik Golden MobOff in hushed tones. One comment reached … Continue reading Excerpt: Uyghur Writer Alat Asem’s “Sidik Golden MobOff”
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）
“Manba Rasang” (满巴扎仓): Secret Mongolian Pharmacopoeia, Manchu Villains and a Stubborn Translator
The editor wanted to title the nouvella The Mongolian Pharmacist (蒙古药师), but Mongolian-to-Mandarin translator Hasen (哈森) resisted. After all, she argued, the setting for this new thriller was Manba Rasang Temple in 19th century Ordos. It served as a center for studies of ancient traditional medicine and treatment, and was frequented by Mongols, Tibetans, Manchus … Continue reading “Manba Rasang” (满巴扎仓): Secret Mongolian Pharmacopoeia, Manchu Villains and a Stubborn Translator
Daur Dictionary Revamp on the Cards
A brief news item on January 13, 2014, 《达斡尔语辞典》征求专家修订意见, informs us that a meeting was recently held at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences where experts were invited to discuss revising the existing 《达斡尔语辞典》, a dictionary of the Daur language. It took more than three decades to compile, and a contact of mine tells me it … Continue reading Daur Dictionary Revamp on the Cards
“Time Regulation Institute”: English Version of Tanpinar’s Classic to Launch
Arguably the greatest Turkish novel of the 20th century, Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü has been translated into English as of January 7. Writes Istanbul-based Kalem Agency: The Time Regulation Institute, true to the style of modernity, exposes the dominance of time over modern man's life and their ever-changing relationships. The ebb and flow of time guides … Continue reading “Time Regulation Institute”: English Version of Tanpinar’s Classic to Launch
Candidates for Romanized Zhuang Exam: Few and Far Between
Some 318 candidates took part in Dec 6 exams testing literacy in the written Zhuang language held in Guangxi’s Nanning and Baise, according to a report in Nationalities Newspaper (会说不会写). Mind you, that’s a microscopic figure for a people who reportedly number around 18 million speakers. The most numerous non-Han ethnicity in China, the Zhuang … Continue reading Candidates for Romanized Zhuang Exam: Few and Far Between
Capturing Endangered Tongues of Yunnan
After decades of Chinese central government policies that baldly aimed at replacing non-Han languages with Mandarin, or at best simply tolerated their existence, real money is apparently now being spent to document and preserve them in ways that meet international standards. According to an article published at Chinawriter.com.cn (临危语言), several linguists from the Yunnan Endangered Languages … Continue reading Capturing Endangered Tongues of Yunnan
The 2013 Istanbul Book Fair, Xinjiang Connections and “English”
When Chinese author Wang Gang brought a smile to the faces of his Turkish listeners as he recounted how a musician back in Xinjiang had sung him a tune dubbed “Istanbul” just a few days ago, it’s unlikely few in the audience recognized the irony. After all, the theme of China’s presence at the 2013 … Continue reading The 2013 Istanbul Book Fair, Xinjiang Connections and “English”
Translation Crunch: Turkey Revs up for Role as Country of Honor at 2014 Beijing Book Fair
It has been officially announced that Turkey will be the Country of Honor at the 2014 Beijing Int’l Book Fair, as China was at the Istanbul In’tl Book Fair this year. A dearth of Turkish-to-Chinese translators means Turkish works like this one are often translated from the English. Which raises several questions: What contemporary works of … Continue reading Translation Crunch: Turkey Revs up for Role as Country of Honor at 2014 Beijing Book Fair
Altaic Storytelling 