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You recently wrote the book Why Translation Matters. I thought I’d throw that title back at you and ask straight out: Why does translation matter?

That’s a very nasty question!

“Why doesn’t it matter?” is more to the point. I think translation is the cement that holds literary civilisation together. It’s the way that we learn about other literatures, other peoples – I’m avoiding the word “cultures” because it’s not a favourite word of mine.

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The way we learn about the world is through translation. Since not everyone can read every language in the world, the only way to find out what people are writing and thinking is to read translations.

Why don’t you like the word “cultures”?

Perhaps I associate it with that putdown “culture vulture”.

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I’m never quite sure what people mean when they talk about culture. I’m not sure if they mean society, or high art, or what exactly they have in mind.

Though it’s through translations like your own and those