Given its long, rich, and storied history, it’s no wonder that the Arabic language has produced its share of literary masterpieces. Exporting those cultural treasures to the rest of the world, however, remains a largely unachieved goal.
The good news? Interest in Arabic literature is on the rise, and while challenges still exist, literary translators are hopeful for better times ahead in the age-old process of cultural exchange. And the numbers are improving.
A 2022 study by British-based Literature Across Frontiers found that between 2010 and 2020, 596 Arabic-to-English translations across fiction and non-fiction were published in the United Kingdom and Ireland — a marked improvement from the 310 works published between 1990 and 2010.
“Arabic literature in English translation is still far from mainstream, far from commercially successful in the main, rarely reviewed, hard to fund, and precariously placed with respect to its profitability and exposure,” the research team said, according to Middle East Monitor.
The difficulty in securing international publication for Arabic literature creates a layered series of problems. For one thing, it means Arabic authors often struggle to find sufficient readership — a serious-enough issue given the talent on display. But it also limits non-Arabic speakers’ knowledge and understanding of Arabic-speaking cultures and peoples, allowing stereotypes and inaccuracies to flourish.
“Too often, there’s an exclusive focus on themes like war, political turmoil, or the oppression of Arab women,” translator Salma Harland told The New Arab. “This reinforces stereotypes, depicting Arab women as helpless victims rather than diverse, multifaceted individuals with agency and resilience. Arab men and children are similarly cast as either victims of conflict or perpetrators of violence, missing out on the full humanity and complexity of their experiences. While political conflict is part of Arabic literature, it does not define it.”
“Arabs should not only be of interest when they are at war, nor should Arab women only merit attention when portrayed as victims,” she added. “Arabic literature has a wealth of stories where women, for example, are agents of their own destinies.”
Money, as it often is, is at the root of this underservice. According to translators, publishers are often leery about the financial risks of translating and publishing Arabic literature. But more hopeful signs also exist. For instance, in 2018, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award established new translation funding for its award-winning literary and children’s titles, according to Publishing Perspectives. Eligible titles receive up to $10,000 in translation funding, plus additional grants for marketing and production.
“It’s an initiative we hope will contribute to increase the number of Arabic books that are translated, published, and distributed outside the Arab world.” said Abdullah Majed Al Ali, executive director of the National Library Sector for the Abu Dhabi Department of Tourism and Culture.
According to Middle East Monitor, world events also play a key role in boosting interest in Arabic literature. The Literature Across Frontiers study, for instance, credited the Arabic Spring in 2011 for spurring popular interest outside the Arabic-speaking world.
“Whenever there is a geopolitical event, you’ll find a spike in the numbers of translations from Arabic into English,” said study co-author Abdel-Wahab Khalifa.