hulit1-8, Exercise 3: Translators, prizes and small languages

Model answer (check the details):

Translators: few people outside Hungary read Hungarian, so a writer's international existence depends on translators, who choose, interpret and sometimes champion the work. Marai's revival came largely through translations into other European languages.

Prizes: a prize such as the Nobel brings attention, translation deals and sales, as it did for Kertesz in 2002, and can change how readers at home see a writer. Prizes are also a matter of selection and politics, and reactions at home can be mixed.

What this suggests: a writer in a small language depends on a chain of intermediaries (translators, publishers, juries) that is partly outside their control. Talent is necessary but not enough, and reputation can arrive late. When judging a literature's standing abroad, ask who translated it and who chose to publish it.