Trilingual Literary Self-Translation: An Interview with Two Montreal Writers, Hugh Hazelton and Alejandro Saravia

Abstract

In addition to being multilingual writers who have made their home in Montreal, Hugh Hazelton and Alejandro Saravia have both chosen to translate a certain number of their own writings and—unlike most self-translators—to incorporate three languages (English, French and Spanish) into their practice. This interview explores a number of questions related to Hazelton’s and Saravia’s experiences with trilingual self-translation. In responding to these questions, the writers also reflect on key people, books and circumstances that influenced their linguistic and cultural attachments; ways that language, place and identity intersect; perceived distinctions and similarities between authoring, self-translation and allograph translation; and obstacles facing the contemporary publishing industry, within Canada and beyond.