Two crucial components for successful swimming: drafting words and converting them
In a remarkable move, acclaimed author Jhumpa Lahiri decided to write and translate her work in Italian, a language she adopted later in life. This decision, made in 2012, signifies a profound engagement with language as a medium of identity, creativity, and cultural belonging.
Lahiri, who moved to Rome, began her Italian literary journey with her 2018 novel, Dove mi trovo (Whereabouts), and a 2023 collection, Racconti Romani (Roman Stories). By choosing Italian, Lahiri expands the boundaries of what is considered Italian literature, redefining belonging and cultural narratives beyond her Indian-American background. This act challenges fixed notions of identity and authorship grounded in ethnic or national origins.
Writing in a new language requires Lahiri to rebuild her literary voice from scratch, influencing how she thinks about storytelling and expression. It allows her to explore new nuances, inhibitions, and freedoms that come with not being fully native to the language, enriching her artistic perspective.
Lahiri not only writes in Italian but also translates Italian works into English and her own works back into English. This dual role deepens her understanding of translation not just as linguistic conversion but as a creative act that negotiates meaning and cultural context.
Lahiri's linguistic transition exemplifies diasporic hybridity where language serves both as a barrier and a bridge. It reflects the complexity of cultural identity in a migratory world and the fluidity of belonging.
In her essays, Lahiri values both being and becoming in the process of writing and translating. She notes that changing one's source of nourishment (in this case, language) is necessary for progress and the development of civilization.
The metaphor of grafting, which Lahiri uses to describe her experience of learning and writing in Italian, implies that a language becomes a part of one's being. This metaphor also has a political value, as it can be seen as a way of understanding the process of immigration and cultural assimilation.
Lahiri's translations of works by Ovid, Lucretius, and others highlight that translation multiplies and speculates. In Lucretius' work, a single voice divides into many voices upon translation.
Lahiri's decision to write and translate her own work leads to original observations on authorship. She believes that writing and translating are two aspects of the same activity, allowing her to explore literature and poetry more deeply.
In her book, "Why Italian. A Story of Metamorphosis", Lahiri reflects on the process of translation. She observes that while grafting can be perceived as forced or inauthentic, it is a natural process that allows one to reject their origins and embrace something new.
Nicola Gardini, in his collection of poems, "Translate is a kiss", explores the process of translating a literary work into another language, mirroring Lahiri's own journey.
In conclusion, Lahiri's choice to write and translate in Italian transforms her relationship with literature by making language a site of personal and artistic reinvention. It influences her broader perspective on authorship as fluid and intercultural, and on translation as a creative dialogue between languages and identities.
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