This presentation explores the role of sincerity in Mieko Kawakami’s Heaven (2009) and considers how this theme may have influenced the novel’s reception in the English-speaking world, particularly following its acclaimed 2021 translation by Sam Bett and David Boyd. Through an analysis of both form and content, it argues that Kawakami constructs an aesthetic of sincerity by using a clear, direct prose style that fosters a dialogic relationship with the reader, and by portraying narratives centered on the pursuit of personal authenticity and meaningful human connection. This use of openness and sincerity as an ethos to overcome suffering and social isolation resonates with 21st century trends in contemporary American fiction and opens up the possibility of considering Kawakami's work in a greater social context. By situating Heaven within a broader transnational literary context, the presentation sheds light on cultural and stylistic factors that could have contributed to Kawakami’s notable literary success in the English-speaking world.

This study delves into the universe of sijo, classical Korean chant poetry, through a formal and thematic analysis of the anthological work “Sijô: Poesiacanto Coreana Clássica”, the only sijo compendium translated into Brazilian Portuguese by Yun Jung In and Alberto Marsicano in 1994. The research explores the origin of sijo, its recurring themes and examines its musical aspect and graphic layout. Based on the compilation by Yun Jung Im and Alberto Marsicano, the work seeks to uncover the most important characteristics of this poetic genre, revealing its beauty and cultural richness. In this case, the translation of the work in question plays a crucial role as a tool of intertextuality. By introducing sijo to the Brazilian public, the translation opens doors to cultural dialogue and to the formation of cultural identities of chant poetry in Brazil. Therefore, this work also seeks to examine, through an intertextual-cultural analysis, how the translation of sijo can inspire new translators to venture into this poetic genre. The theoretical basis will be Kristeva (1974) on intertextuality and translation as an intertextual process; Bakhtin (2003) on translation as dialogue; Bassnett (2002) on the role of translation in fostering intercultural dialogue involving peripheral cultures; and Venuti (1998) on the formation of cultural identities. At the end of the research, we hope to be able to affirm that, by having access to concrete, high-quality examples, Brazilian translators can be inspired by the forms and techniques of sijo, expanding the range of poetic possibilities in our language and that the translation of sijo contributes to expanding knowledge about Korean culture, stimulating intercultural dialog and opening the way to new poetic creations.

This study revisits the practice of self-translation, where an author translates their own literary work. The form of self-translation practice can be to produce the work in the mother tongue first, then translate it into the adopted language, or vice versa. Some authors even write in two languages simultaneously. Self-translators share the commonality of mastering two or more languages, but the underlying motivations and processes they undergo may differ. Some write in their adopted language to liberate themselves from their mother tongue, others feel that they are better able to express themselves in their adopted language. Other factors come from the desire for their people's voices to be heard more in the dominant language, or simply to gain a wider audience. However, writers who write in their adopted language will always be expected to produce works in their mother tongue.

This study aims to explore what motivates an author to write outside their mother tongue, engage in self-translation and how it affects their work. The focus is on Laksmi Pamuntjak (b. 1971) from Indonesia and Yoko Tawada (b. 1960) from Japan. Both employed an exophonic strategy―writing in a language outside their mother tongue. Pamuntjak wrote her novel Amba: The Question of Red (2012) initially in English, then translated it into Indonesian. Meanwhile, Tawada produced her novel The Naked Eye (2004) simultaneously in two versions, German and Japanese.

Pamuntjak wrote in English to introduce Indonesian history to the world. She wanted Indonesian literature to be appreciated abroad. Then at the request of an Indonesian publisher, she translated her novel into Indonesian. In the process, Pamuntjak felt she was not translating but recreating her work. She found it to be a frustrating process, but eventually she experienced a rediscovery of language and identity while writing in her mother tongue. For Tawada, writing in German made her more creative and explorative. And when she translated her work into Japanese, she found it a personal metamorphosis that led to liberation.

The translation of Japanese waka and later tanka (31-morae poem with 5-7-5-7-7 form) into Russian has a long history, yet tanka continues to bring many challenges for translators today.

When translating tanka the translator encounters not only the text but also a poetic tradition that is closely related to culture. In this way, the translator acts as a cultural mediator — someone who does not only translate words but also negotiates between different literary and cultural norms, recreating both meaning and poetic form. The Russian poetic tradition differs significantly from the Japanese, which causes many problems when translating tanka into Russian. In Russian translation tradition, it is customary to translate tanka unrhymed. However, unrhymed translation often causes tanka to be considered a philosophical aphorism. On the other hand, rhymed translations sacrifice the nuances of the meaning of words used in a poem.

Beyond the rhyme issue, there is also a problem of conveying the rhythm. Tanka is not simply a text; it is rhythm. This rhythm largely defines tanka as a genre. However, this rhythm is difficult to recreate in Russian translation because of differences in language structure. Until now, translators have applied two common methods to recreate the rhythm of tanka in translations. The first way is to keep the number of syllables the same as in the original, and the second one is to convey it through composing the translation in five lines, sometimes also making the first and third lines shorter than others. Both methods convey the compactness of tanka and give the effect of a five-part structure, but do not recreate the real unique rhythm of tanka.

Considering the rhyme and rhythm problem, this study proposes applying a multimodal approach and dual translation method to convey the rhythm of tanka and its musicality. This approach treats tanka as a multimodal text, consisting of both a verbal and a rhythmical component. The dual translation method combines both unrhymed and rhymed versions of each poem that respect semantic nuances while also providing a version that recreates a rhythmic reading experience more familiar to Russian readers. In addition, to convey the original sound and rhythm of each tanka it is proposed to attach phonetic transcription and audio recordings. This will enable communication between the poet and Russian reader and represent tanka in Russian in a way that conveys its ‘soul’ and brings the reading experience as close as possible to that of the original for Russian-speaking audiences.