Translator Sophie Hughes Interview
- Euronews published an interview with International Booker judge Sophie Hughes about literary translation today. (euronews.com) - Hughes emphasized translation remains central to the International Booker Prize and vital for bringing global fiction to new readers. (euronews.com) - The interview ran on World Book Day, underlining the prize’s continued focus on translators alongside authors. (euronews.com)
Literary translator Sophie Hughes used a World Book Day interview to argue that translation is still at the center of the International Booker Prize. (euronews.com) Euronews published the interview on April 23, 2026, identifying Hughes as a judge for this year’s prize and framing the conversation around literary translation’s role in bringing fiction across languages. (euronews.com) Hughes said the prize’s structure still treats translation as creative work, not a backstage service. The Booker Prize Foundation says the International Booker’s £50,000 award is split equally between author and translator, and each shortlisted title receives £5,000 shared the same way. (euronews.com) (thebookerprizes.com) That setup is unusual in major literary awards, which often center the author alone. The Booker Prize Foundation says the International Booker was built to recognize fiction translated into English and to credit the translator as a named winner, not just a contributor. (thebookerprizes.com) The timing also mattered. April 23 is World Book and Copyright Day, the annual UNESCO-backed observance tied to books, reading and multilingual publishing. (euronews.com) (daysanddates.com) This year’s prize is already in its final stretch. The 2026 International Booker shortlist was announced on March 31, after judges considered 128 submitted books, and the winner is due to be named on May 19 at Tate Modern in London. (thebookerprizes.com) (publishersweekly.com) Hughes brings her own track record to that argument. The Booker Prize Foundation says she translates from Spanish and Italian, has translated more than 20 novels, and is the most nominated translator in the prize’s 10-year history. (thebookerprizes.com) Her interview lands in a year when the prize is again emphasizing the translator’s name on every shortlisted book. The shortlist announced in March paired six authors with six translators, continuing the award’s habit of presenting translation as part of the book’s authorship on the page and on stage. (thebookseller.com) (thebookerprizes.com) The immediate next date is May 19, but Hughes’ point was narrower than the ceremony calendar. On April 23, 2026, she used a World Book Day interview to insist that readers meet global fiction through translators, and that the prize should keep saying so out loud. (euronews.com)
