Blog Archives

Poems from the edge of extinction

Posted on 1 July 2020 by Kate Sotejeff-Wilson — Leave a comment

The last line of the refrain in the Welsh national anthem is O bydded i’r hen iaith barhau (“O may the old language endure” in W.S. Gwynn Williams’ translation). I remember learning it when I was about seven or eight;…

Tagged with: Ainu, books, Chiri Yukie, faroese, Frankie Sewell, Gearóid Mac Lochllain, Hobyot, Ireland, Irish Gaelic, Japan, John McMurray Press, Kim Simonsen, Kristang, Kyoko Selden, Martha Fernandez, Miranda Morris, Poems from the Edge of Extinction, Poetry, Singapore, Translation, W.S. Gwynn Williams, Wales, Welsh, Yemen
Posted in Uncategorized

Sing your heart out at the football: Calon lân

Posted on 6 July 2016 by Kate Sotejeff-Wilson — Leave a comment

Wales will be singing tonight as they play Portugal in the Euro 2016 football semi-final. And they will be singing this song: According to the BBC, it only takes half an hour to learn the words to calon lân, which means a…

Tagged with: Calon lân, Euro 2016, football, Gwyrosydd, John Hughes, Rees Harris, Translation, Wales, Welsh
Posted in international, language, music, translation

Williams translating Williams

Posted on 27 August 2014 by Kate Sotejeff-Wilson — 1 Comment

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has a new book of poems out this month, first presented at the Edinburgh Book Festival, where I got my hands on a copy. The Other Mountain, published by Carcanet, includes a couple of…

Tagged with: books, Edinburgh Book Festival, Literature, Poetry, Rowan Williams, The Other Mountain, Translation, Waldo Williams, Wales, Welsh
Posted in books, Edinburgh Festival, faith, literature, poetry, translation, Uncategorized

year of the horse: China in 10 words

Posted on 31 January 2014 by Kate Sotejeff-Wilson — 1 Comment

Happy Chinese New Year – Xin Nian Kuai Le! Gong Hey Fat Choy! To celebrate the dawning of the Year of the Horse, it’s time to read about China. The London Review Bookshop recommends an introduction to Chinese poetry, including…

Tagged with: characters, China, Chinese, Chiyo-ni, Fiction, Hiraeth, Japanese, Julia Lovell, Language, linguapolitics, Literature, Lu Xun, Mabinogion, Short Stories, Translation, Wales, Welsh, words, Yu Hua
Posted in international, language, literature, poetry, translation, words, Year of the Horse

between two Thomases: 100 years of R. S. and Dylan

Posted on 4 December 2013 by Kate Sotejeff-Wilson — 1 Comment

“My chief aim is to make a poem. You make it for yourself firstly, and then if other people want to join in then there we are,” said R. S. Thomas. We’re half way through his centenary year: a Welsh…