British Writers on Brexit: LAF at the Frankfurt Book Fair 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