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The second translator at theTrojica AIR Գ2022Diana Pungeršičfrom Slovenia. In Banská Štiavnica, she is translating the bookԾčǻԾ / The Good-for-nothing Woman from Jana Juráňová.
Diana Pungeršič (1984) is a literary translator of and Czechinto ,literary critic,publicistandhost. At the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, she has studied Slovenian and language with literature and sociology of culture.She was born, lives and works in Slovenia.
She has translated the worksof Pavol Rankov,Daniela Kapitáňová,Víťo Staviarsky,Juraj Šebesta,Marek Vadas,Dušan Mitana,Jana Beňová,Anton Baláž,Ivona Březinová,Petra Dvořáková,Iva Procházkováand others;she translates passages for literary magazines (Sodobnost, Literatura, Mentor, Pogledi). Diana also publishes literary interviews, essays, organizes and hosts literary events andhas founded a reading club. She is amember of the juries of several literary competitions and awards.
The translator and authorpresented themselves at the traditionalfor the TROJICA AIR project, hosted byDado Nagy, on Thursday, March 10.You can find the video.
We also bring you some answers from the resident about whatthe work is like in Banská Štiavnica. The entire interview, conducted byMichal Kríž, was published in the magazine,Štiavnické noviny.
What works have you translated so far and what feedback to them has been received from the Slovenian public?
Besides the aforementioned book, I’ve also translated Rankov'sMatky / Mothers, which is a very successful book among readers. We have welcomed the author in Slovenia twice and I will definitely translate his works again. This was followed by a translation of thenovel Kniha o cintoríne / Samko Tále’s Cemetery Book by Daniela Kapitáňová. For this translation, I received an award given by The Slovenian Association of Literary Translators to a young translator. It has a peculiar style of storytelling, as Samko Tále is a mentally handicapped man and his language is really specific. Then I have translated the books of Víťo Staviarsky (Kivader in druge novele / Kivader and Other Novels), because it seemed important to me, to bring the life and fate of Roma closer to the Slovenes, through the eyes of an author who has a deep understanding of our human weaknesses. It was an honour to translate the great Dušan Mitana – his iconic collections ofshort stories Psie dni / Dog DaysandNočné správy / Late-night News,which are also close to my heart. Thereis Café Hyena/ Seeing People Offby Jana Beňová andKeď sa pes smeje / When the Dog Laughsby Juraj Šebesta, which was awarded as the best translated book for children and young adults in 2019. Quite recently, my translation of thenovel Tábor padlých žien / The Camp of Fallen Womenby Anton Baláž was published. It is a story about the re-education of Bratislava prostitutes and it also mentions the Knights of Sitno. :) Literary translations from are still rare in our country (as compared to those in the Czech language), so I choose books thoughtfully;I am aware of the privilege as well as the responsibility. The feedback from the readers andscholars confirms my belief that I am on the right track.
What translation are you working on during your stay at TROJICA AIR?
I am translatingԾčǻԾ / The Good-for-nothing Woman by Jana Juráňová,anovel about80-year-old Mrs. Ľudmila, who has nowhere to go after being discharged from the hospital. Thisethically and socially sensitive storyaddresses the issue of selfless help, as well as the problem of aging in a world which glorifies youth, beauty and sturdiness.ԾčǻԾ helps us to see and perhaps to better understand ourselves, that is, the dark face of our society, which fails to care for the sick,vulnerable, and elderly... It is a powerful story that shows us a mirror.I believe it will appeal to Slovenian readers as well.
Are you in Banská Štiavnica for the first time? How does the city seem to you and what are the working conditions created by TROJICA AIR?
It's a charming town. I feel like a queen here;the accommodation is spacious and the atmosphere is calm, perfect for work. The city itself and its surroundings offer so many possibilities... for a trip or just wandering the picturesque streets;there are galleries, museums, castles, cafés and above all nice people! I think I’ve just discovered my favourite city.
