2023 Senior Prize in Literary Translation — Now accepting translations

Senior Prize in Literary Translation

The Department of Comparative Literature is pleased to invite graduating seniors in all departments at the University of Michigan to submit entries for our 2023 Senior Prize in Literary Translation. This prize is intended to encourage undergraduate students to develop projects in translating into English a literary text originally written in another language. 
 
Submissions are due by April 13th and will be judged by a team of faculty members in Comparative Literature. 

The prize will be awarded at the end of the winter term. The winner will be invited to read at the department’s graduation and awards ceremony on April 28th.

RULES

1. All seniors graduating in Summer 2022, Fall 2022, or Winter 2023, and affiliated with any department at the University of Michigan, are eligible to submit a translation.  

2. Students may choose to translate into English any literary text (or excerpt of a literary text) that was originally written in another language and in any literary genre (e.g. fiction, poetry, drama, creative nonfiction).  

3. A submission should consist of your translation (no more than 10 pages), and a brief translator’s preface (no more than 5 pages) that introduces the text and author you have chosen and explains your method of translation.  If you have worked significantly with previously available translations, glosses, or commentaries, please note these in your translator’s preface. Make sure your submission references all texts and tools you have used to produce your translation (i.e. other translations you have consulted, translation software you may have used, etc)

4. Please submit your translation in the following format: 

  • an email listing your name, your graduation date, your major(s) and minor(s), and the complete title and author of the text you have translated,
  • an email attachment without your namethat includes your translator’s prefaceand your translation, and
  • a copy of the text you have translated in its original language.

5. Your submission should be emailed to complit.student.services@umich.edu no later than 11:59 PM on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

Check out the Comp Lit website for full instructions.

Questions? Contact complit.student.services@umich.edu