Exophonie
Anders-Sprachigkeit (in) der Literatur
[Exophony. Other Languages in/of Literature]

By definition, literature is exo-phonic: no one writes as it speaks. In recent times, which have been particularly marked by migration, exile and diaspora, it is no longer just an exception to the rule for a writer not to write in his so-called mother tongue. What's more: ›first‹ and ›second‹ languages, ‘one's own’ and ‘foreign’ languages interact, exchange and mix: “Sprache und Sprachen – jeweils und miteinander eine Gemengelage.” (Oskar Pastior) This book examines the theoretically revealing forms and consequences of this literary multilingualism, in different historical stages and at different locations: Constructions of national literature and language in England, Germany or Senegal, self- and foreign translations in Japan, Cameroon or France, postcolonial appropriation processes in the Caribbean, Nigeria or Germany. The volume contains contributions by writers and scholars: Susan Arndt, Elleke Boehmer, Ottmar Ette, Andrew James Johnston, Franz Kafka, Susanne Mühleisen, Dirk Naguschewski, Uche Nduka, Patrice Nganang, Christina Pareigis, Oskar Pastior, Robert Stockhammer, Yoko Tawada, Jürgen Trabant, Peter Utz, Daniel Weidner and Stefan Willer.