4 - Mediation between Linguistic Hegemony and Periphery Languages in the Nobel Prize for Literature
Corresponding Author(s) : Wendo Nabea
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 19 No. 2 (2021): Journal of Higher Education in Africa
Abstract
This article explores the Nobel Prize for Literature as an embodiment of Western hegemony, despite its universal disposition. It demonstrates that the award is prestigious and canonises selected literary works as quintessential, as well as offering social and economic benefits to authors. However, the article contends that there are ideological and geopolitical considerations apart from quality that are addressed by the Swedish Academy to identify the winner every year, chief among them being the language of writing. The article demonstrates that literary works that are apt to win are generally those that are written in the dominant languages of the metropolis, especially English. It further cast doubts on the chances of winning for writers who use marginal languages, for example, African national languages, considering that even translations tend to misrepresent texts in the source language. The article avers that the Nobel Prize epitomises hegemony, language being a key component. Using postcolonial theory, the article further lays bare how writers use marginal languages to mediate with linguistic hegemony through appropriation, abrogation and evolution of argots. The article asserts that the Swedish Academy needs to rethink the question of language in awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature or else it can become displaced and parochialised as users of minor languages negotiate with it.
Keywords
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)BibTeX
- Ahluwalia, A., 2001, Politics and Postcolonial Theory: African Inflections, London: Routledge.
- Achebe, C., 1989, ‘The Politics and Politicians of Language in Africa’, in Killam, D., ed., FILLM Proceedings, Ontario: University of Guelph, pp. 268–271.
- Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G. and Tiffin, H., 1989, The Empire Writes Back, London: Routledge."
- Bamgbose, A., 1999, Language and Exclusion – The Consequences of Language Policies in Africa, London: Transaction Publishers.
- Bangha, I., 2010, ‘From 82-year-old Musicologist to Anti-imperialist Hero: Metamorphoses of the Hungarian Tagore in East Central Europe’, Asian Studies, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 57–70.
- Bisong, J., 1995, ‘Language Choice and Cultural Imperialism: A Nigerian Perspective’, Oxford University Press, ELT Journal, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 122–132. Chinaculture, 2017, ‘Secrets of the Nobel Prize in Literature’. (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2017-11/22/content_34845166.htm). 15 June 2021.
- Carlucci, A., 2013, Gramsci and Language: Unification, Diversity, Hegemony, Leiden: Brill.
- Gokalp, E., 2010, Pride and Anger: Ohan Pamuk’s Nobel Prize and Discourse of Nation- alism, Anadolu University Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 171–190.
- Jäger, G., 2010, Languages of the World, University of Tubingen.
- Ives, P., 2004. Language and Hegemony in Gramsci, London: Pluto Press.
- Kiguru, D.W., 2016, ‘Prizing African Literature: Awards and Cultural Value’, Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Stellenbosch.
- Klein, L., 2016, ‘A Dissonance of Discourses: Literary Theory, Ideology and Translation in Mo Yan and Chinese Literary Studies’, Comparative Literature Studies, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 170–197. (http://hdl.handle.net/10722/221929). 15 June 2021.
- Marc, V., 2003, ‘Classification of Authors by Literary Prestige’, Poetics, Vol. 31, No. 3, University of Groningen.
- Mazrui, A., and Mazrui, A., 1998, The Power of Babel, Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.
- Nabea, W., 2009, Language Policy in Kenya: Negotiation with Hegemony, The Journal of Pan African Studies, Vol. 3, No.1, pp. 121–138.
- wa Thiong’o, N., 1986, Decolonising the Mind, Nairobi: Heinemann. wa Thiong’o, N., 1997, Writers in Politics, Nairobi: Heinemann.
- Phillipson, R., 1992, Linguistic Imperialism, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Pardoe, S., 2000, ‘Respect and Pursuit of “Symmetry” in Researching Literacy and Student Writing’, in D. Barton, M. Hamilton and I. Roz, eds., Situated Literacies – Reading and Writing in Context, London: Routledge, pp. 149–166.
- Parks, T., and Wastberg, P., 2011, ‘Do We Need the Nobel? An Exchange’, The New York Review. (https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2011/12/22/do-we-need-nobel- exchange/) 15 June 2021.
- Ponzanesi, S., 2014, The Postcolonial Cultural Industry: Icons, Markets, Mythologies, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Poyner, J., 2009, J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship, Farhnam: Ashgate Publishing Company.
- Rollason, C., 2016, ‘No Complete Unknown – The Saga of Bob Dylan’s Literature Nobel’, The Grove –Working Papers on English Studies, Vol. 23, pp. 131–143.
- Urde, M., and Greyser, S., 2014, ‘The Nobel Prize: A “Heritage- Based” Brand- Oriented Network’, Harvard Business School Working Papers. (https://www. hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=47837). 15 June 2021.
- Statista, 2019, ‘Countries with the most Nobel Prize winners in Literature from 1901 to 2019, by winner’s nationality’. (https://www.statista.com/statistics/262898/ literature-nobel-prizes-awarded-by-nationality/). 20 June 2021
- Washbourne, R., 2016, ‘Translation, Littérisation, and the Nobel Prize for Literature’, TranscUlturAl, Vol. 8, No. 1 pp. 57–75. (https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/tc/index.php/TC/article/view/25405). 14 June 2021.
- Wellek, R., and Warren, A., 1984, Theory of Literature, (Third Edition), Harmond- sworth: Penguin.
- Worldatlas, 2017, ‘Countries With The Most Nobel Laureates In Literature’. (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-nobel-laureates-in-literature.html). 15 June 2021.
References
Ahluwalia, A., 2001, Politics and Postcolonial Theory: African Inflections, London: Routledge.
Achebe, C., 1989, ‘The Politics and Politicians of Language in Africa’, in Killam, D., ed., FILLM Proceedings, Ontario: University of Guelph, pp. 268–271.
Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G. and Tiffin, H., 1989, The Empire Writes Back, London: Routledge."
Bamgbose, A., 1999, Language and Exclusion – The Consequences of Language Policies in Africa, London: Transaction Publishers.
Bangha, I., 2010, ‘From 82-year-old Musicologist to Anti-imperialist Hero: Metamorphoses of the Hungarian Tagore in East Central Europe’, Asian Studies, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 57–70.
Bisong, J., 1995, ‘Language Choice and Cultural Imperialism: A Nigerian Perspective’, Oxford University Press, ELT Journal, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 122–132. Chinaculture, 2017, ‘Secrets of the Nobel Prize in Literature’. (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2017-11/22/content_34845166.htm). 15 June 2021.
Carlucci, A., 2013, Gramsci and Language: Unification, Diversity, Hegemony, Leiden: Brill.
Gokalp, E., 2010, Pride and Anger: Ohan Pamuk’s Nobel Prize and Discourse of Nation- alism, Anadolu University Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 171–190.
Jäger, G., 2010, Languages of the World, University of Tubingen.
Ives, P., 2004. Language and Hegemony in Gramsci, London: Pluto Press.
Kiguru, D.W., 2016, ‘Prizing African Literature: Awards and Cultural Value’, Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Stellenbosch.
Klein, L., 2016, ‘A Dissonance of Discourses: Literary Theory, Ideology and Translation in Mo Yan and Chinese Literary Studies’, Comparative Literature Studies, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 170–197. (http://hdl.handle.net/10722/221929). 15 June 2021.
Marc, V., 2003, ‘Classification of Authors by Literary Prestige’, Poetics, Vol. 31, No. 3, University of Groningen.
Mazrui, A., and Mazrui, A., 1998, The Power of Babel, Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.
Nabea, W., 2009, Language Policy in Kenya: Negotiation with Hegemony, The Journal of Pan African Studies, Vol. 3, No.1, pp. 121–138.
wa Thiong’o, N., 1986, Decolonising the Mind, Nairobi: Heinemann. wa Thiong’o, N., 1997, Writers in Politics, Nairobi: Heinemann.
Phillipson, R., 1992, Linguistic Imperialism, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pardoe, S., 2000, ‘Respect and Pursuit of “Symmetry” in Researching Literacy and Student Writing’, in D. Barton, M. Hamilton and I. Roz, eds., Situated Literacies – Reading and Writing in Context, London: Routledge, pp. 149–166.
Parks, T., and Wastberg, P., 2011, ‘Do We Need the Nobel? An Exchange’, The New York Review. (https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2011/12/22/do-we-need-nobel- exchange/) 15 June 2021.
Ponzanesi, S., 2014, The Postcolonial Cultural Industry: Icons, Markets, Mythologies, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Poyner, J., 2009, J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship, Farhnam: Ashgate Publishing Company.
Rollason, C., 2016, ‘No Complete Unknown – The Saga of Bob Dylan’s Literature Nobel’, The Grove –Working Papers on English Studies, Vol. 23, pp. 131–143.
Urde, M., and Greyser, S., 2014, ‘The Nobel Prize: A “Heritage- Based” Brand- Oriented Network’, Harvard Business School Working Papers. (https://www. hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=47837). 15 June 2021.
Statista, 2019, ‘Countries with the most Nobel Prize winners in Literature from 1901 to 2019, by winner’s nationality’. (https://www.statista.com/statistics/262898/ literature-nobel-prizes-awarded-by-nationality/). 20 June 2021
Washbourne, R., 2016, ‘Translation, Littérisation, and the Nobel Prize for Literature’, TranscUlturAl, Vol. 8, No. 1 pp. 57–75. (https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/tc/index.php/TC/article/view/25405). 14 June 2021.
Wellek, R., and Warren, A., 1984, Theory of Literature, (Third Edition), Harmond- sworth: Penguin.
Worldatlas, 2017, ‘Countries With The Most Nobel Laureates In Literature’. (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-nobel-laureates-in-literature.html). 15 June 2021.