Ansuz: A Trilingual Literary Adventure
Ansuz is a collection of feminist fairy tales, written in Turkish and English by Defne Çizakça, and translated into Spanish by Erika Cosenza.
Our aim in using three languages has been to represent the linguistic versatility of our lived experience, Defne as a bilingual writer and Erika as a translator. The languages we engage with daily can be several, but the written page has hardly ever reflected this polyphony.
From a feminist perspective, a common problem has been the inability to acknowledge cultural differences whilst fighting for equality. This also has had linguistic repercussions with dominant languages narrating women’s experiences. Intersectionality has pointed out the importance of diversity. We have re-signified English by turning it into a bridge that enables access to different cultural worlds.
From a literary perspective, the stories have a different flavour in each language and might resonate differently with readers who are fluent in one, both or all three. We believe the co-existing and cross-pollination of several languages in one text is an exciting invitation to think, read and dream differently.
In this presentation we would like to share the process of creating this book, the differences between self-translation and translation of another, feminist fairy tales and why they are timely, as well as why we consider this collaboration a feminist professional practice.
Erika Cosenza (she/her) has been a freelance translator and a proofreader & editor for 20 years. Gender issues, feminism, and inclusion have always been present both in her work and in her personal life. And she was lucky enough to start her career as a translator for an NGO advancing women’s rights. Erika believes in putting her profession at the service of the causes she considers to be fair. She is currently IAPTI’s Co-Head of Gender, Diversity and Inclusion. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she now lives in a small beach-town near Barcelona, Spain, where she facilitates a feminist book club and various workshops.
Defne Çizakça I am a writer and editor who works in Turkish and English, specialising in literary fiction and magical realism. I have PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow. My historical novel in Turkish, Melankolik Cinler Kılavuzu, is forthcoming with the Istanbul based İthaki in June 2024. Ansuz – a collection of my stories in Turkish, English and Spanish – is forthcoming with Libros del Ciempiés, based in Barcelona, in August 2024. Additionally, I have written three collector edition, feminist fairy tales for adults which were illustrated and published by the Poet House.