Forms of self-translation

Rita Wilson

pp. 157-177

in: Nicholas Monk, Mia Lindgren, Sarah McDonald, Sarah Pasfield-Neofitou (eds), Reconstructing identity, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

Abstract

This chapter takes as its point of departure the notion that a "translational identity" is fundamental to a body of narratives, lately appearing in great numbers on the European literary scene, written by authors who have been variously described as "migrant", "diasporic", and, more recently, "transnational" and "translingual". The cultural self-identification of "transnationals/translinguals' is often represented through a rhetoric of "in-betweenness' or hybridity. Many transnational writers readily assume the role of a bridge or an interpreter between cultures. Wilson's focus is on contemporary literary production in Italy and examples will be provided of writers who, in their attempt to navigate between languages and social contexts associated with these languages, provide an opportunity to reflect on identity construction in border situations, especially those created by the socio-political and cultural processes of globalization.