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A series of literary anthologies in the lesser used languages of Europe (1), which began with an anthology of Breton literature edited by two people then living in Wales, has earned an award from Chambra d'Òc (2) in Ostana, Piedmont, Italy, for North London Publishers Francis Boutle (3). The award to Francis Boutle was for their work as publishers of minority and endangered languages.
The first volume in the series was jointly edited by Welsh author and journalist Gwyn Griffiths and the award winning French and Breton academic, Jacqueline Gibson, who at the time was on the staff of the French Department at Aberystwyth University but has since returned to her native Brittany. That book, entitled The Turn of the Ermine (4), was published in 2006.
At the same award ceremony James Thomas (5), also with strong Welsh connections, received an award as editor for the latest volume in the series, the beautifully produced Grains of Gold: an anthology of Occitan language (6). His parents, both musicians, were from Wales and James was brought up in Bristol, and educated at Bristol University. He is a professional translator specialising in Catalan and Occitan. The awards were presented in Ostana (7), an Occitan-speaking community in the foothills of the Alps, at a festival of literature, which included speakers of Occitan, Corsican, Armenian and Tutunaku (Mexico).
Occitan, the ancient language of Southern France and parts of Spain and parts of Northern Italy, was the language of the troubadours whose influence as lyrical poets spread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. It was also the first Latin language to be grammatically standardised. Various dialects of the Oc language can still be heard in many parts of Southern France, and is often confused with Provencal, possibly thanks to the writer Frédéric Mistral. It is claimed that Mistral was the only writer in a minority language without official status – to win the Nobel Prize for literature. That was in 1904.
In between the Breton and Occitan anthologies, Francis Boutle has published volumes of literature from Manx, Galician, Norman French from Jersey and Guernsey, Maltese and even Esperanto. All the books have facing-page translations into English. Clive Boutle, director of the publishing house, says there are others on the way – including Welsh.
In his autobiography, Ar Drywydd Stori (7) - published last month by Y Lolfa (8) - Gwyn Griffiths explains how the first anthology in the series came about. " I was approached by Clive Boutle after I had written a travel book in Welsh about Brittany (9). He said he wanted a reader of Breton literature. I said, “yes, but give me time”. By a lucky accident, soon afterwards, I met Jacqueline when we were both speaking at a conference at the University of Glamorgan. I told her about the proposal from Clive Boutle and she agreed enthusiastically, even to the extent of putting her Ph.D. on hold. We agreed that it should be a book of Breton language literature despite the huge amount of French language literature by Breton writers and by French writers visiting the region. This, in the main, has been the template followed by the editors of the subsequent anthologies ".
That was in 2000 and it was 2006 before the anthology appeared in print. It proved sufficiently successful and well enough reviewed for Mr Boutle to decide there was a market for series and without doubt Grains of Gold is a game-changer.
For further information there is the video clip (voir le site) where James Thomas explains his interest in Occitan. See also the Guardian podcast on lesser used languages : (voir le site)
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Gwyn Griffiths, notes by Maryvonne Cadiou. (See the translation in French : ( voir l'article )
(1) Lesser Used Languages of Europe Series: (voir le site)
(2) Chambra d'Òc: (voir le site) bilingual website, italien - occitan.
Chambra d'Òc si occupa della salvaguardia, valorizzazione, promozione della lingua occitana e del territorio di minoranza.
[The Association] Chambra of Òc deals with the protection, enhancement and promotion of the Occitan language and territory minority.
(3) Francis Boutle publishers : (voir le site)
(4) The Turn of the Ermine. An anthology of Breton literature (voir le site) ed. by Jacqueline Gibson and Gwyn Griffiths, preface by Bernard Le Nail, London, Boutle, 2006, 506 p., biographical notes on Breton language writers p. 484-498, bibliogr. p. 499-503, further reading (in English, Breton and French), p. 504-506.
(5) James Thomas and Clive Boutle in Ostana:
Gli eventi di Domenica 31 maggio si apriranno alle 10 con l'incontro dedicato all'autore Premio per la lingua occitana James Thomas. James Thomas è un traduttore e ricercatore in letteratura occitana, che si è interessato alla lingua dopo un soggiorno a Béziers. Oltre al suo lavoro di traduzione, Thomas ha dato vita a un impressionante lavoro di ricerca e analisi culminato nella sua antologia di letteratura occitana, resa possibile dal contributo dell'editore Clive Boutle, anch'egli presente e insignito del Premio per la traduzione. Thomas dialogherà con lo scenggiatore e scrittore Fredo Valla, in un incontro dedicato al suo lavoro. Boutle invece converserà con la traduttrice francese Jeanne-Marie Vazelle sulla scommessa di pubblicare opere rare e minoritarie nel XX secolo.
The events of Sunday, May 31th will open at 10 with a meeting dedicated to the author Award for the Occitan language James Thomas. He is a translator and researcher in Occitan literature, which has been interested in the language after a stay in Beziers. In addition to his translation work, Thomas has created an impressive work of research and analysis that culminated in his anthology of Occitan literature, made possible by the contribution of the publisher Clive Boutle, who was also present and awarded the Prize for translation. Thomas will talk with the scenarist and writer Fredo Valla, in a meeting dedicated to his work. Boutle will converse with the French translator Jeanne-Marie Vazelle on the bet to publish works and rare minority books in the twenty first century.
Source : (voir le site)
(6) Grains of Gold: an anthology of Occitan literature: ed. by James Thomas (Lesser Used Languages of Europe Series, vol. 7), 2015, 780 p. (voir le site) of the publisher and (voir le site) of Toulouse Academy.
(7) Ostana: (voir le site) of the Ostana Price page.
“Il Premio Ostana: scritture in lingua madre”, appuntamento con le lingue del mondo a Ostana, paese occitano in Valle Po ai piedi del Monviso, è giunto ormai alla settima edizione che quest'anno, eccezionalmente, si svolgerà su quattro giornate, dando vita a un vero e proprio festival che possa trasformare Ostana in un punto di ritrovo del multilinguismo, della scrittura e dell'arte.
The “Ostana Price: writings in mother tongue”, appointment with the languages of the world at Ostana, occitan country in the Po Valley, at the bottom of Monte Viso, has reached its seventh edition that, this year, exceptionnally, will perform over four days, creating a real festival that will transform Ostana in a meeting of multilingualism, writing and art.
(8) Ar Drywydd Stori: (in Welsh) (voir le site) and (voir le site) 240 p. Atgofion newyddiadurwr o Geredigion, Memories of a journalist from the Ceradigion, the autobiography of Gwyn Griffiths, a well-known author and journalist, who worked for the Urdd and BBC as press office...
The entertaining autobiography of Gwyn Griffiths, a well-known author and journalist, who worked for the Urdd, the weekly newspaper Y Cymro and BBC Cymru as press officer, head of publishing and journalist in new media. 56 colour and black-and-white photographs.
(9) Y Lolfa : (voir le site) of the Welsh publisher.
(10) a travel book in Welsh about Brittany: Llydaw, ei Llên a'i llwybrau (Brittany, its literature and by-ways), Gomer Press, 2000, 252 p., after Crwydro Llydaw (Wandering Brittany), C. Davies, 1997, 300 p.
See his page: (voir le site) of Literature Wales.
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