British Writers on Brexit: LAF at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2019

18 October 2019

As every year we participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair programme with public debates at the Weltempfang – Centre for Politics, Literature and Translation, on Friday 18thOctober

13;30 – 14:30

British Writers on Brexit

The Brexit vote brought about a political and constitutional crisis and a deep division in British society. What is the background to what some consider the greatest democratic exercise in British history and others a dangerous triumph of populism, an attack of democracy that threatens to break up the United Kingdom and sever its alliance with the rest of the EU? Writers from England, Ireland and Wales offer their perspectives on the causes and impact of Brexit.

Chaired by: Alexandra Büchler, director Literature Across Frontiers, Wales

Taking part: Bonnie Greer, writer, playwright, critic, commentator, England  Jan Carson, writer and community project facilitator, Northern Ireland   Patrick McGuinness, writer and academic, Wales.

Language: English with simultaneous interpreting into German

13:30 – 14:30 pm

Literary Translation: profession, art, labour of love?

What are the working conditions of literary translators today? Have they improved over the past decade? From visibility to contractual standards and remuneration, translators’ working conditions still vary considerably across Europe, while they are also affected by European legislation and copyright law. The speakers share their experiences and discuss the state of the translation industry today.

Chaired by: Lawrence Schimelwriter, translator into English, publisher, Madrid

Taking part: Bel Olidauthor and translator into Catalan, ex CEATL Board, Barcelona  Tanja Petrič translator into Slovenian, Ljubljana Holger Fock translator into German, ex CEATL president, Epfenbach  Tiziano Perez Dutch Literature Foundation, Amsterdam

Language: English

Cooperation: European Network for Literary Translation ENLIT

16:00 – 17:00 pm

Should we still speak about “small” language literatures?

Most European literatures are written in “small” or “minority” languages which co-exist alongside dominant ones in a dynamic characteristic of European diversity. How vibrant are they in terms of voices and world views they offer? How do they project themselves internationally and how aware are they of literary production from elsewhere? The panellists discuss their literary scenes as authors and translators.

Chaired by: Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, Welsh academic, language and literature policy expert

Taking part: Gabriele Haefs  German writer and translator from Irish and Norwegian   Llŷr Gwyn Lewis Welsh writer, poet and essayist    Bel Olid Catalan author and translator, president of the Catalan Writers’ Association.

 Language: English

Cooperation: VdÜ – Association of German-speaking Translators of Literary and Scientific Works