Translator Antonia Lloyd-Jones Discusses the Challenges of Promoting Polish Literature

In a recent interview, Lloyd-Jones spoke about the challenges of translating Polish texts, the barriers to understanding Polish culture abroad, and the hidden treasures of Polish literature waiting to be discovered.

Lloyd-Jones noted that many Polish people are surprised to find foreigners learning their language, often leading to questions about her interest in Polish. She explained that while she faces scrutiny regarding her language skills, her focus remains on delivering quality translations. For instance, after an event with Miłoszewski, he defended her work, stating, "It’s her English I’m interested in."

Despite little formal training, Lloyd-Jones was driven by her love for grammar and comparative language study, which aided her in learning Polish. Even after years of practice, she acknowledges making mistakes and considers language learning an ongoing journey.

Lloyd-Jones remarked that promoting Polish culture can be challenging due to the language barrier, even with Poland's EU membership and a substantial Polish diaspora in the UK. Her initial motivation to learn Polish was as a journalist during the martial law period in the 1980s, allowing her to educate others about Poland’s history.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated her outreach efforts, limiting attendance at literary festivals where she typically connects with authors and publishers. Festivals like the Polish Language Festival have been valuable for networking and promoting Polish literature.

While small independent publishers often show interest in translated literature, larger publishers tend to avoid it due to commercial concerns. Lloyd-Jones mentioned that Polish authors historically have not received significant exposure in English, though recent translations, such as Bill Johnston’s work on Adam Mickiewicz, may help change that perception.

Tokarczuk’s Nobel Prize win has raised awareness of Polish literature, yet a significant backlog of her works remains to be translated. The upcoming release of Jennifer Croft’s translation of The Books of Jacob, which took Tokarczuk eight years to research, exemplifies the depth of Polish literary work needing attention.

Translating from Polish presents unique challenges, including grammatical complexities that differ significantly from English. Lloyd-Jones compared the translation process to a Magic Eye image that reveals different meanings depending on the perspective. Cultural references in Polish literature also require extensive knowledge to convey appropriately in English.

In her recent projects, Lloyd-Jones has collaborated with emerging authors and translators to promote distinctive Polish forms of journalism and children’s literature. Reportage, a unique genre in Polish literature, presents a grassroots perspective of society and has attracted interest from new translations coming out in English.

While Polish literature faces stereotypes of sorrow and suffering, Lloyd-Jones emphasized the humor and surrealism that also characterize it. Authors like Tadeusz Konwicki exemplify narratives that balance dark themes with comedic elements. As she continues her work, Lloyd-Jones expresses excitement about the potential of translating more classics and underappreciated authors to capture the diversity of Polish literature.

Lloyd-Jones enjoys reading Polish literature both as a professional duty and a personal delight. She hopes to dedicate more time to exploring the vast array of works in Polish, continuing to bridge the cultural divide through translation.