Kirmen Uribe and Translation: An endless journey.

Abstract

Assuming that Kirmen Uribe is a social agent in the sub- field of Basque literature in translation, this work analyses the translator’s translation habitus, basing its analysis on the sociological foundations of translation. Consequently, the Ondarroa writer’s ideas about, perceptions of and attitudes towards translation are examined, as well as his reflections on his translation experiences. Likewise, following the line of research in translation studies termed “fictional turn”, there will be an explanation of how Uribe represents his translation habitus by means of the principal character/ translator in the novel Mussche. In order to do so, use is made of a personal interview with the author, his texts and articles by various translators about their experience in the translation process, as well as questionnaires that some of these translators filled out for this analysis. We will go over the relationship of the texts translated by Uribe, as well as his reason for doing so, how he has participated in translating his texts, in which form he puts himself and relates as a Basque writer by means of translation (at home and abroad), which positions both he and his translators adopt as regards bridge languages and what they contribute to the writer- translator relationship. It is worth highlighting that both the author and his translators emphasise the human side of the relationship, and that is, precisely, one of the questions which stands out in the novel Mussche; we will, therefore, try to describe the reflection of reality and fiction.