Encounter with André Brink: Looking on … Self-Translation

What is the point of self-translation? Why should someone write again in a different language what he or she has already written? Why would any author put themselves through an experience that can be painful or tedious, yet also enthralling (if not both)? This literary practice, more common than generally assumed, is a part of many bilingual or multilingual authors’ lives all over the world. On the African continent, where many languages coexist, self-translation should make us think, among other things, about (advantages and disadvantages of) linguistic power relationships and self-(linguistic and/or literary) identity perception. This interview with South African author and self-translator André Brink offers personal and passionate insight into the tasks of creating, self-translating, and learning languages. It could also be considered a tribute to a man, who will always be alive in his words.