The prize winners are ... unavailable in translation

It's no surprise that a lot of foreign writers don't get published in English. But some countries seem to fare a lot worse than others
May 14, 2008 1:00 PM

One of the lucky few ... translated Prix Goncourt winner Jonathan Littell. Photograph: AP
Interesting bit of maths over at The Millions, figuring out the "translation quotient" of novels celebrated in major domestic prizes. It's not a perfect barometer of what's up either in those foreign literatures, or what's actually getting translated, of course. But it is curious to see which international headline acts get to play in England.
A lot don't get past customs, which will startle no one. But I was surprised to see France doing as well as it did (seven out of the 10 Goncourt winners between 1995 and 2005 making it into English), and Japan doing so badly (you'll look in vain for a winner of the super-prestigious Tanizaki prize in the same period.)