On February 7, 2024, the Society of Authors’ Translation Prizes announced its winners in a prestigious event that marked a significant celebration of literary translation. The ceremony, held in collaboration with the British Library and available for online audiences, honoured nine translators and one editor for their outstanding contributions to the field, sharing a substantial prize fund of £28,000. However, only eight prizes were awarded on the night.
This year was particularly notable for the introduction of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Prize for Japanese translation, which was awarded to Alison Watts for her exceptional work on Seishu Hase’s The “Boy and the Dog.” Judge Nozomi Abe commended Watts’s translation for its emotional depth, advising readers to “keep a handkerchief nearby.”
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Translations from a wide range of languages including Swedish, French, Spanish, Arabic, and German were also celebrated, with the TA First Translation Prize highlighting the debut translation from Dutch by Sophie Collins and editor Marigold Atkey of Lieke Marsman’s “The Opposite of a Person.” Translators Association co-chair Ian Giles said, “I think it’s not just about the winners…it’s a real pat on the back for everyone involved.”
Among the winners was Saskia Vogel, who received the Bernard Shaw Prize for her “luminous” translation of Johanne Lykke Holm’s “Strega,” and Frank Wynne, who was praised for his “tour-de-force” translation of GauZ’ “Standing Heavy” from French.
Translation Prizes winners and their works
Bernard Shaw Prize
For translations from Swedish, Saskia Vogel received the top gong for her work on Johanne Lykke Holm’s “Strega,” published by Lolli Editions. Judge Alison Flood lauded Vogel for capturing the “mythlike flavour” of Holm’s tale, describing it as “disturbing” and “eerie.” The Anglo-Swedish Literary Foundation sponsored the prize.
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Premio Valle Inclán
William Rowe and Helen Dimos were awarded for their translation of “Trilce. Translations and Glosses.” by César Vallejo, a work that judge Dr. Valentina Aparicio said would “open a new window to interpretation” for readers familiar and new to Vallejo’s poetry.
Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize
Luke Leafgren’s translation of “Mister N” by Najwa Barakat took the prize for Arabic translations. The judges commended Leafgren for his “smooth, self-effacing prose” that brings Barakat’s “labyrinthine world” to life in English.
The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Translation Prize
Alison Watts for “The Boy and the Dog” by Seishu Hase, was heralded for maintaining the book’s “energy, momentum, and cultural charms,” according to judge Nozomi Abe.
Scott Moncrieff Prize
Frank Wynne’s translation of “Standing Heavy” by GauZ’ was celebrated for its “searingly witty” and “incisive” rendition into English, with judge Jane MacKenzie praising Wynne’s ability to preserve the original’s humour and energy.
TA First Translation Prize
Sophie Collins and editor Marigold Atkey were recognised for their work on Lieke Marsman’s “The Opposite of a Person.” The judges highlighted the translation’s versatility and the masterpiece it became in English.
Emerging talent and other prizes
The awards also shone a light on emerging translators and other language pairings, such as the Goethe–Institut Award for new translators, won by Rob Myatt for his translation of extracts from “Hund, Wolf, Schakal” by Behzad Karim Khani. Myatt thanked his wife, while joking about her having to listen to his mini lectures on “translation theory.”
These awards not only celebrate the translators and editors for their exceptional work but also underscore the vital role translation plays in fostering cultural exchange and understanding.
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