Translingualism, Translation and Caribbean Poetry: Mother Tongue Has Crossed the Ocean

Linguists estimate that around 7,000 languages exist, but many are under threat. Translingualism, Translation and Caribbean Poetry is a multi-language collection comprising over fifty translations of the poem 'Lenga di mama' ('Mother Tongue') by Curaçao-born poet Hilda de Windt Ayoubi, published here alongside three additional poems each providing a different perspective on the mother tongue. De Windt Ayoubi's sharp, socially charged poetry has inspired translations from across the world. Collected here for the first time, they serve to protect the native languages and cultures – particularly the minority languages – of their translators, who range from expert linguists to speakers of underrepresented languages. In his accompanying essay, Pieter C. Muysken considers the role of translation in addressing the urgent cultural concern of language loss and revitalization where he discusses bilingual translations and mass translations. Complete with maps, language profiles, interviews with the translators, and the poet’s essay on Papiamento, this collection explores the emotional, cultural and intellectual importance of language conservation through poetry and translation.