Interview with Rolando Hinojosa-Smith on self-translation

The Acentos Review has recently published an interview with Rolando Hinojosa-Smith conducted in 2012 by Marlene Hansen Esplin. Hansen Esplin asks him some very interesting questions about self-translation:

• Do you think bilingual, multilingual, and/or bi-scriptive writers can be “good” translators of their own texts? Also, what circumstances in the past have prompted you to write in both or either English or Spanish?
• So, you feel more comfortable translating your own work, obviously, instead of working with someone else’s?
• Here’s a related question, considering your own “translations,” or the Spanish and English versions of your texts, e.g. Estampas del valle and The Valley, do you hold to the notion of an “original” text and a “translation” when speaking of your literature? How do you view your Spanish and English texts or versions of your texts in relation to each other?
• Would you advocate that the reader encounter both of the texts or one before the other?
• Do you feel that in rewriting or self-translating you make “concessions” for the monolingual reader?

To find out Hinojosas answers, please click here

Zoë Jenny: "I would rather write something new."

Swiss born writer Zoë Jenny, who moved to London and has just switched her literary language to English, was asked about self-translation in a recent interview by New Books in German:

NBG: Would you consider translating your own works into English, or do you feel that has to be done by a third party?

Z.J: I don’t think I would be interested in translating my own work as long I have new ideas for books. I would rather write something new."

To read the full interview please click here .