Translations into Icelandic from Eight Different Languages; English, Ancient Greek, French, Spanish, Czech, Russian, German, and Japanese.
The Icelandic Literature Center now allocates 10 million ISK in the form of 27 grants from translations into Icelandic in this former round of allocation of this year.
A considerable increase in application and awarded grants compared to the same time last year.
42% increase in grants
The Icelandic Literature Center has announced the former allocation of the year for translation grants for books into Icelandic. This time almost 10 million ISK were awarded in the form of 27 grants, which is 42% more grants than last year, when 19 works received translation grants. A total of 44 applications were handed in, applying for a total of 32 million ISK.
This is a considerable increase in application and awarded grants compared to the same time last year when over 8.2 million ISK were allocated in the form of 19 grants, 37 applications were handed in and the total amount applied for was over 27 million ISK.
The books receiving translation grants this time are a diverse lot and include novels, short stories, poems, children's and young adult literature, philosophy, memoirs, academic texts, both contemporary literature and classics from all over the world.
Translations from English, Ancient Greek, French, Spanish, Czech, Russian, German, and Japanese.
The role of translators of foreign literature into Icelandic is vital because they enable Icelanders to read foreign literature in their own language, thus opening gateways into other cultures. Most of the translators receiving grants this time are veterans, many of whom have received awards and prizes for their work. The languages that are translated from are English, Ancient Greek, French, Spanish, Czech, Russian, German, and Japanese.
One third of 27 grants are for translations of children's and young adult literature.
Children and young adults also need to have access to diverse and interesting literature and translators play a pivotal role in ensuring that they have good international reading material in Icelandic. Applications for grants to translate children's and young adult books this time were 15 in total, and this time 10 of them are awarded grants, which is one third of the allocated grants.
Among the works receiving grants in this round are:
· Machines like me by Ian McEwan. Translated by Árni Óskarsson. Publisher: Bjartur.
· Vom Ende der Einsamkeit by Benedict Wells. Translated by: Elísa Björg Þorsteinsdóttir. Publisher: Benedikt.
· Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. Translated: Ólöf Pétursdóttir. Publisher: Forlagið.
· Narratives by the Roma – Gypsy Stories, short stories by many. Translated by: Kristín G. Jónsdóttir, Ásdís R. Magnúsdóttir, Rebekka Þráinsdóttir and more. Publisher: Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages.
· A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo. Translated by Ingunn Snædal. Publisher: Angústúra.
· Zeit der Zauberer, Das große Jahrzehnt der Philosophie 1919 – 1929 by Wolfram Eilenberger. Translated by Arthúr Björgvin Bollason. Publisher: Háskólaútgáfan.
· Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee. Translator: Sigurlína Davíðsdóttir. Publisher: Una útgáfuhús.
· Despair by Vladimir Nabokov. Translator: Árni Óskarsson. Publisher: Bókaútgáfan Sæmundur.
In the category of children's and young adult books:
· Batman by Grant Morrisson, Mark Millar, Scott Snyder, Mike Martz et al. Translated by Haraldur Hrafn Guðmundsson. Publisher: Nexus.
· 100万回生きたねこ by Yoko Sano. Translated by Miyako Þórðarson. Publisher: Ugla.
· Hotzenplotz 3 by Otfried Preussler. Translated by Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson. Publisher: Dimma.
· Slinky Malinky by Lynley Dodd. Translated by Sólveig S. Hreiðarsdóttir. Publisher: Kver bókaútgáfa.
· Wizards of Once. Knock Three times by Cressida Cowell translated by Jón St. Kristjánsson. Publisher: Angústúra.