L'autre source : Le rôle des traducteurs dans le transfert en français de la littérature sud-africaine
Résumé
Ten years after the demise of the apartheid regime conflicting strategies still govern the publication of South African literature in French translation. Literary agents and major publishing houses in France still concentrate on what was once called "the white quartet", with Brink, Breytenbach, Coetzee and Gordimer jointly adding to their already impressive output in French translation another twenty titles, which is one book in three for South African fiction since 1994. With her first two titles published in French in 2004 Antjie Krog looks poised to join the tried-and-tested quartet, a sector where international marketing often prevails with a view to simultaneous world-wide launches. Most translators involved have little say in publishers' choices and policies. Translators are much more influential when it comes to so-called "black" or "African" authors and smaller houses. Earlier in the decade, especially around or just after Liberation, a large number of new writers were introduced to readers of French by translators who also happened to be anti-apartheid activists. Sustained public funding of literary journals from the eighties provided a welcome and powerful channel for the new names, such as Achmat Dangor, Bessie Head, Maureen Isaacson, Mandla Langa, Joel Matlou, Zakes Mda, Kaizer Nyatsumba, Walter Oliphant, Deena Padayachee, Patrick Sekhula, Ivan Vladislavic or Zoe Wicomb... As could be expected, with the end of apartheid translators of a new type, and a younger generation, are clearly emerging, while retaining some degree of influence over the shaping of South African literature in French translation. Many, after attending university courses in Literary Translation (the first one being set up at the University of Paris 7 in 1990) graduate into full-time translating. This encouraging development, coupled with increased interest in African literature from medium-sized publishing houses, such as Provence-based Actes Sud and Zoé in Geneva, will hopefully guarantee continued diversity of voices and quality translation for South African literature.
Domaines
Littératures
Origine : Accord explicite pour ce dépôt
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