| Abstract: |
According to Comelles (2022), approximately 23% of all books published in Catalan during 2020-21 were translations from other languages, predominantly English, Japanese (manga), and other European languages. However, despite the publication of over 1,500 translations into Catalan each year, Taiwanese literature remains a rarity. To date, only three Taiwanese authors-Sanmao, Li Ang, and Wu Ming-yi-have been translated into Catalan. Readers who turn to Spanish translations can also access works by Qiu Miaojin, Chi Ta-wei, Jimmy Liao, and manhua authors such as MAE. This presentation explores how literary works from Taiwan, a literary periphery, embark on a journey to another literary periphery, Catalonia, building on the insights of Chiu's work (2018). The study focuses on the limited selection of Taiwanese literature available in Catalonia, whether in Catalan or Spanish, and pursues two main objectives: first, to map these translations by genre and theme and to contextualize their publication by examining the roles of key agents-such as publishers, translators, and initiators-and other contributing factors, including grants from the Taiwanese Ministry of Culture. Second, to explore the role of transmediality in this literary journey from Taiwan to Catalonia by examining the extent to which various forms of media-such as documentaries, webtoons, digital reviews on platforms like Goodreads, and dissemination through podcasts and social media-contribute either to the inception of these translations or to their reception. To achieve these objectives, the TXICC group's database of Chinese and Sinophone literature translated in Spain (Rovira-Esteva et al. , 2019-2024) is utilized, alongside personal communications with translators and editors. A key conclusion of this panoramic, longitudinal analysis is that small, independent literary publishers have played a crucial role in commissioning translations of Taiwanese literature. Academia is also a backdrop in the making of many translations of novels and short stories. However, the translation of manhua follows a different trajectory with webtoons serving as a significant catalyst for broader dissemination. Transmediality has manifested in various forms, actively contributing to the revitalization and innovation of the interpretation and discourse surrounding Taiwanese literature, as will be illustrated through specific examples, such as Sanmao's documentary and Chi Ta-wei's digital presence. |
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(Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Traducció i d'Interpretació i d'Estudis de l'Àsia Oriental)
