Robin Moger. Courtesy Robin Moger
Robin Moger. Courtesy Robin Moger

Banipal Prize winner Robin Moger on the tricky art of translation



Award-winning translator Robin Moger is remembering the first time he came across The Book Of Safety by Egyptian novelist Yasser Abdel Hafez. "I was so excited," he says. "I got such a strong sense of how the book was, its tone and characters - I immediately started thinking how it might work in English." 

So began a journey that ended last week with Moger winning the 2017 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation for his work on an enthralling book, in which a master thief breaks into the homes of the powerful and blackmails them into silence. “I didn’t think how it would sell or be received,” he protests. “I just wanted to translate it.” 

All of which might sound a little over-humble, if Moger wasn’t such a fascinating voice on the state of Arab literature and its translation into English. Take, for example, his comments on Twitter late last year about how ‘prize culture’ was impacting upon what translators read and worked upon. 

A few weeks, of course, before he won a prize himself. 

“A bit embarrassing,” he laughs. “But I do think there is something quite problematic about the way books are getting chosen for translation into English - and the responsibility translators take for what they are doing.”

Moger’s main issue with prize-winning or timely books in Arabic is that they get hyped-up by major Western publishers and offered to translators who might not even like the content. 

“The problem is, a lot of the time these novels are not actually that good - but nobody can say it. You get the western bourgeoisie saying ‘yes, it’s terribly interesting’, but of course they didn’t finish the book and they’ll probably never buy a novel by that author again - or maybe even an Arabic novel. Prize culture can be misleading - and damaging at worst.”

Living in South Africa, Moger exists outside the publishing and translating scene - and there’s the sense he enjoys that status. It does mean that he’s now able to make choices about the books he translates based on his enjoyment of them alone - which means a new Moger translation is always interesting. 

“Some translators end up dancing around the quality of the literature,” he argues. “They are not honest about the commercial pressures and they work on books that they think will sell rather than books which are important. But I know it’s difficult. It’s their job. They have to live. It’s just these issues aren’t really talked about.”

Well, not beyond Arab literature experts, anyway. But Moger’s brilliant back catalogue means what he has to say is not only credible but could and should have a wider impact upon the kinds of books about the Arab world you might read in English. Here is a man consistently bringing some of the most interesting and groundbreaking literature to English audiences. 

Take the horrific Otared by Mohammed Rabie, set in a future Cairo and - as The National put it at the time, "like having a hand grasping the back of your head, forcing you to look through photos from hell." 

“It’s an experimental novel with no space for hope, confronting the idea that everything’s wrong, which is a very strange thing to try and write,” says Moger. “It’s not really about a dystopia, it’s not trying to predict the future or see where the country is going, it’s saying at the present moment you’re trapped in eternal hell.” 

Ironically, it was also shortlisted for the International Prize For Arabic Fiction. 

"See, there is good stuff out there, and people are curious about Arab literature, which is great," he says. "Sam Wilder's translation of Ghassan Zaqtan's The Silence That Remains is beautiful, and didn't even get longlisted for the Banipal prize. It's easily the finest translation I read last year."

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Read more:

A translation of a dystopian Cairo-set novel wins the Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize

Year in review: Our favourite books of 2017 

Book review: My Sweet Orange Tree is a tale to both warm and break your heart

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Another fine translation of last year was a different Moger book: Maan Abu Taleb’s boxing novel All The Battles. Moger actually thinks it’s better in its original Arabic because it feels more experimental - given the sports novel doesn’t really exist in Arabic literature. “It says some really interesting things about masculinity and failure,” explains Moger, “and Maan has this great willingness to write in a different way in Arabic.”

Both Abu Taleb and Youssef Rakha - whose IPAF-longlisted novel Paolo has also been translated by Moger for publication later this year - have English language educations and are accused by some critics of writing ugly Arabic novels which only work when translated into English. Moger scoffs at the suggestion, putting it down to “pure and simple jealousy.” So how does Moger see the role of a translator?

“Arabic translation does have a problem with who is translating - is it solely about expertise, is it linguists, is it Arabists, is it people who think they speak on behalf of Arab literature in some way? All these people have different relationships to literature and to publishers: some will be commissioned, some translators will bring books to the attention of publishers. 

“For me, I think you have to be a sophisticated reader and you have to be able to write. There’s this thing about translation where people say you have to be a humble servant of the text, which is always a bit creepy. Sometimes you get the sneaking feeling you’ve made it better!”
So does that mean, for example, that to set All The Battles in some kind of English-language context, he’d read Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk?
“No, and I don’t know whether Maan has either. I expect so, actually. But that’s not important. I’ve read enough to know what kind of things aspects of his story belongs to, what kind of language is needed.”

If you were going to take issue with Moger - and he’d probably enjoy the intellectual jousting - it’s that for all he protests, his translations do actually exist in the prize culture he has such distaste for. There’s an obvious love of sophisticated literary novels and poetry too - nothing wrong in that, but you’d love Moger to champion an interesting Egyptian novel, for example, that could genuinely crossover into the international mainstream in the way Alaa Al Aswany did with The Yacoubian Building. You sense he’d have to accommodate that with his concerns about the attitude of major Western publishers to Arabic fiction in translation - he has a long and fruitful relationship instead with AUC Press in Cairo. 

Still, he’s not adverse to populism: his current project is a crowd-pleasing biography of the infamous Egyptian serial-killing sisters Raya and Sakina. 

“It’s an absolute blockbuster, this whole social history of Egypt, with stuff on gangsterism, organised crime, the sisters themselves. It’s an incredibly moving book… and about 2000 pages long! So I’m doing that at the moment.

“People love these sorts of popular histories,” he says. “But this one is really amazing.”

It’ll probably, much to Moger’s chagrin, be prize-winning, too. 

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

MATCH INFO

Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports

While you're here
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3

Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)

Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)

Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)

Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor

Power: 843hp at N/A rpm

Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km

On sale: October to December

Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)

THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

Price: From Dh59,700 

 

On sale: now  

 
The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Book%20Details
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
Top goalscorers in Europe

34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)

34 - Ciro Immobile (68)

31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)

28 - Timo Werner (56)

25 - Lionel Messi (50)

*29 - Erling Haaland (50)

23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)

23 - Jamie Vardy (46)

*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

match info

Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')

Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
'The Ice Road'

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne

2/5