The Linguist

APRIL/MAY The Linguist 33 INSTITUTE MATTERS Meet our members MOZAMBIQUE'S FIRST PUBLISHED LITERARY TRANSLATOR, SANDRA TAMELE, DISCUSSES HER HOPES FOR THE INDUSTRY IN HER COUNTRY so it was natural to name the publishing house after it. There is an undeniable need to make books more accessible in local languages. Currently the few book shops in the country (all located in Maputo) sell mostly outdated, expensive books. The aim of ETZN is to offer books from around the world that are recent, relevant and representative, with a focus on female, disabled and queer voices. We also publish our titles in audio format, which is key to reach half of the population, who are functionally illiterate. Is it important that books by Mozambican authors are translated by Mozambicans? I'm pro bilingual translation so my answer is yes! For a multitude of reasons. The most important is that despite being the Official National Language, Portuguese is spoken by only 11% of citizens, and all the mainstream publishing is in Portuguese. There is a need to democratise Mozambican literature by translating it into the major local mother tongues – Macua, Sena and Changana – as well as into English for a global readership. You trained as an architect first. Has that training supported your work as a linguist? Definitely. My strong sense of aesthetics is present in the image and design of ETZN's logo, artwork, book size and format. I use the ability to compartmentalise and thought structure I learnt at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning in my daily work. What has been the most surprising thing about working as a translator? When I went full time I could only picture the freedom I would gain from flexible hours, working from home, and meeting a diverse clientele. Pre-Covid, I would get to interpret at a music festival, a cross-country race and an asset recovery training all in one week. Throw in a handful of literary translation projects and I'm the happiest person in the world. I never imagined how becoming a translator would change my narrative forever. It is really rewarding to be hosting the 7th ALTC after being shortlisted for the London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards 2020, being a panellist at the Sharjah Book Fair Publishers Conference and being in the Frankfurter Buchmesse Invitation Programme. You became the first published literary translator in Mozambique when your translation of Ammaniti's lo non ho paura came out in 2007. How did you get started? The novel was introduced to me in 2004 by my Italian teacher, whose aim was to introduce a more colloquial version of the language. That summer I won a scholarship from Siena University and bought my own copy of the book. I was so touched by it ("I'm not scared" became my daily mantra) that I started translating. I pitched it to several publishers before Ndjira printed 300 copies with a grant from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You established the Mozambican Translators and Interpreters Association (ATIM). Why is having a representative body so important? I translate from English and Italian into Portuguese. Becoming a sworn translator or interpreter is an easy process in Mozambique. The municipal authorities only require proof of language skills, making professionalisation accessible and affordable to all, and this is a problem. Some don't quite grasp the responsibility of the role, and accept low rates. This negatively impacts how the profession is perceived, as translators and interpreters are considered to provide substandard services. The idea for ATIM was voiced by a group of senior translators, interpreters and academics at the Annual Literary Translation Competition (ALTC), which I have co-organised since 2010. @Linguist_CIOL In 2016, I joined a group of professionals representing the major language pairs (Bantu languages, English, French, Portuguese, Italian and Mozambican Sign Language) and fields of translation (technical, legal, medical and literary) to set up ATIM. Perhaps because eight of the ten founder members are female, even those who initially clamoured for an association are reluctant to join. With a group of young volunteers to help run a membership campaign we hope to reverse the situation. The main aim is to uphold the rights of ATIM members and garner recognition from society by abiding to the highest ethical and professional standards. Why was it important to join CIOL too? Sitting the exams for the Diploma in Translation and becoming a member of CIOL gave me the skills I needed, and a document to attest to my abilities as a professional translator. I am committed to CPD and have improved discoverability through Find-a- Linguist, while The Linguist keeps me abreast of developments and trends in the field. Being one of the first – if not the first – Mozambican members was a milestone. You launched Thirty Zero Nine (ETZN) in 2018. Why was it important to create a publisher dedicated to books in translation? I love, live and breathe translation. My favourite day is 30 September (when the ALTC is held),

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