BOOKS OF LITERARY TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH = LESS THAN 1%
Here's an interesing item hooked to a statistic.
Books translated from English = as high as 50% of international publishing; but books translated into English, less than 3%.
The actual statistics become less hard-edged under scrutiny. For instance, if you discount classics retranslated [a new Cervantes, a new Homer], the percentage is less. Moreover, 3% doesn't focus on literary translation, but rather includes all books: text books, technical manuals, astrology guides, etc.
And it is said our low percentage is on a par with Arabic nations, but if you consider the number of bootleg publications into English, Arabic nations may even surpass us, in translation.
Leaving the math off to one side, the fact remains: we seem to have been experiencing a drop-off in literary translations in America. Or is the trend reversing back again, to a diversity of world voices? An freeflowing exchange of ideas ...
What do Americans think of this?
And the world?
___________
NOTES
a source for the 3% statistic:
rochester.edu/threepercent ;
for the 50% statistic:
wordswithoutborders.org
for more info:
centerforliterarytranslation.org
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Eric Nichols says:
I think it means that, for
I think it means that, for better or worse, English is rapidly becoming the de-facto standard language. Just last year, English replaced Mandarin as the most-spoken language in Mainland China! This should say something.
On a related note...it's almost frightening the cultural clout we have. To wit...there was a fellow from India who started working in my building last year...never been to America before...even for a visit. He is a Sikh...still wears the turban, full beard, etc. About a week after he arrived, he was striding down the hall, whistling the theme somg from "The Addams Family." I shudder to think this is the first impression most of the world gets of U.S. Culture. Now, I like the Addams Family as much as anyone...but to hear a Sikh whistling the theme song "right off the boat," is a might disconcerting!
ERic
Gary G Gach says:
yes it is true english [or
yes
it is true
english [or a kind of global pidgin english] has become common currency, it is chilling to consider the statistics: that we somehow no longer need to know what other people think feel experience if they do so in a native language other than english
when i grew up the idea of the cold war meant america would win in open competition of ideas and so there was much more concerted energy in getting works translated into english ... since 1989 it's as if there's no longer any need to know what other people are writing or thinking elsewhere ...
[ have you heard of the anthology strange times my dear? the publisher [richard seaver, arcade] had to sue to the gov't to waive a treasury law that would have fined them exorbitant penalty for publishing work from iran since that's now an illegal activity ]