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Counterpoint
Counterpoint is an e-zine for everyone interested in literary translation. Whether you are a translator, publisher, agent, researcher, student or journalist, or just have a general interest in literature across borders, the European book market, and in the people that shape both, there will be something in Counterpoint of interest to you.
We report on what’s going on inside CEATL, and we look outside as well. We present feature articles about translators and translating and deal with the broad cultural, artistic and economic context of our work. We intend Counterpoint to live up to its name and be a place where independent and sometimes contrasting voices come together and form a stronger and more enthralling whole, much like the art of literary translation itself.
Counterpoint is free of charge and published twice a year in English and French.
This month we present…
LLVS (Lithuania) : small, but powerful!
Some of the associations in CEATL are big, others are small. This month, Birutė Avižinienė will tell us all about LLVS, the Lithuanian Association of Literary Translators.
“Ours is a small but mighty organisation! This is a special year for us as we celebrate 20th anniversary. After splitting from the Lithuanian Writers’ Union two decades ago, the Lithuanian Translators’ Association has been growing steadily, and today it has 150 members (and 16 honorary members), translating from a wide range of languages,” Birutė tells us. LLVS is very active! “One of our most visible initiatives is the celebration of the feast of our patron saint, Saint Jerome, on the 30th of September. On that day, two translators from and into Lithuanian are awarded for their valuable and high-quality translations,” Birutė says.
“The Association also takes its role seriously in protecting the quality of literary translations by awarding an annual anti-prize. It can be awarded to a translator or publisher for a poor translation, infringement of copyright or a deficient editing. But there’s so much more! Seminars for emerging translators, meetings of translators and students at schools, book presentations and various competitions. One of these activities results in the Association’s literary translation almanac of foreign literature, Hieronymus. It’s been published since 2016 and is available free of charge to everyone:https://hieronymus.lt/hieronymus/.”
LLVS is very keen to associate itself with the patron saint of translators. Birutė: “Hieronymus is also the name of a publishing house that the Association has set up to create a strong platform for the presentation of quality foreign literature in Lithuania. The publishing house was established in 2020 and has already published 16 books! There’s something for everyone, from poetry, classical prose and contemporary novels.” Check it out for yourself: https://hieronymus.lt/
Apart from being a watchdog for the quality of literary translation or a body for discussing translators’ rights with governmental organisations, the LLVS is also a vibrant group of like-minded people who meet monthly for informal meetings and excursions. “After all, we want to enjoy the company of colleagues after long hours of solitary work,” Birutė explains. And she’s right!
Read all about LLVS on their website in English, French or German:
https://www.llvs.lt/about-us
https://www.llvs.lt/nous
https://www.llvs.lt/uber-uns