This year looks like continuing the success of translated fiction. In the mainstream, Jo Nesbø has picked up the baton of Stieg Larsson with his Harry Hole books going from strength to strength including the announcement of a film to be directed by Martin Scorsese.
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Translated literature for the new year
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Clerkenwell House of Detention, ghost tales and mummified cats
As well as serving drinks to revolutionaries, the original Crown Tavern pub on Clerkenwell Green has the dubious reputation of having exhibited a mummified cat. Apparently during the 17th Century the cat “which some mason of John or Richard’s reign had cruelly buried alive in one of the walls of St. James’s Church, used to be solemnly shown there”.
Other mysterious events in and around Clerkenwell include the Cock Lane Haunting. The elaborate tale as thick as a modern day Eastenders plot began in 1762. Read More
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More Clerkenwell history: the Russian connection and a musical coal man
Where would you find Russian revolutionaries in the early 1900s? The biographies of the future leaders of the Soviet Union show that they were men well travelled as it was not easy to organise left-wing parties in Tsarist Russia, and radicals were often forced into exile. I wrote last week about Clerkenwell’s radical history, and in 1902, the leading Bolshevik Vladimir Lenin came here. He set about publishing the revolutionary newspaper Iskra (The Spark) to be shipped back to Russia.
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Is this the new ‘age of translation’?
This year has seen literary translation hit new prominence on the news and feature pages. Earlier this week the BBC marked the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, noting how its turns of phrase have permeated everyday English:
The Sun says Aston Villa “refused to give up the ghost”. Wendy Richard calls her EastEnders character Pauline Fowler “the salt of the earth”. The England cricket coach tells reporters, “You can’t put words in my mouth.” Daily Mirror fashion pages call Tilda Swinton “a law unto herself”.
Now today’s Observer is going even further: it carries a full page article proclaiming “This is the age of the translator”. Read More
Posted in literature, localisation, Stieg Larsson, translation 1 Comment
Clerkenwell Green: radical centre & relaxing spa springs
Clerkenwell as a haven from the urban bustle? It may be hard to believe it now, but Clerkenwell was once considered to be a country retreat from the city. King John stayed for a break in the Clerkenwell Priory in 1212. The area was also renowned for its relaxing spa springs and pleasure gardens during the 13th Century but its tranquility would soon be broken.
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Clerkenwell history: ghosts, cows, medical monks and revolution
Ever wondered what lies behind the name of the area you live or work in, what history is held by the streets you tread daily? In a rush to get around much of the time we remain unaware of the dramas of the past. Our office is based in Clerkenwell, a busy part of central London with plenty of fascinating stories to tell. The area has connections to the Knights Templar, historic revolutionary figures, legendary literary pickpockets, a notable musical coal-man and faked ghost appearances.
In this series of posts about Clerkenwell’s history I will reveal the identity of these coal-men, revolutionaries, pickpockets and more.
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Posted in Clerkenwell, Clerkenwell history, London 2 Comments
Brazil, Russia, India, China: BRICs in the wall of recovery?
Pic: By Ricardo Stuckert/PR (Agência Brasil [1]) [CC-BY-2.5-br], via Wikimedia Commons
Will translation rescue London businesses from the morass of the UK economy? A report today by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry shows a difficult last few months for London business, but concludes that part of the solution is reaching out globally to growing economies.
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Posted in Brazil, business growth, Chinese, India, overseas markets, recession, Russian Leave a comment
Celebrate International Translation Day 2011 with our e-card
“Bridging Cultures” is the theme of today’s International Translation Day, and this year we have again produced a free e-card for you to download or pass on.
Posted in International Translation Day 1 Comment
Translation and the meaning of everything?
I like this video promoting a witty new book about translation:
It’s a brilliant introduction to the sort of conundrums that can crop up in translating even the most “common sense” concepts. Read More
Posted in foreign language, literature, translation 1 Comment
Translating luxury brands into global success
The last month has seen more diamonds of economic news than there are in Cullinan mine. While British retail remains patchy, UK and other European companies selling “luxury” have done phenomenally well on the global stage. They have reaped dividends of promotion in emerging economies, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, targeting High Net Worth Individuals or those aspiring to perceived luxury.
Translation plays no small part in this global success: research has shown that the majority of consumers will only buy from websites with information presented in their language. This effect becomes more pronounced the higher the value of the product or service. (see Can’t Read, Won’t Buy: Why Language Matters, Common Sense Advisory)
A few news snippets illustrate the trend:
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