Kataluniar Hizkuntzazko Itzulpenaren I Sinposio Nazioartekoa - Xabier Mendiguren

Although occasionally, over the years translations have been done from Catalan to Basque, the first real efforts made date from 1966 when J. San Martin translated and published Llivre de Sinera by S. Espriu. Around the same time various pieces of work by Pedrolo, and R. Salvat were translated and produced and some of the work of the Catalan classics were published: Verdaguer etc.

In the 70's there was a great intluence —mainly in the field of pedagogy—during which various pieces of work from the "Rosa Sensat" school were translated (normaly retranslated from Spanish), as woll I as quite a lot of children's literature. This translating of Basque and Catalan children's literature still produces numerous publications in various editors.

Well into the 80's a selection of stories by M. Rodoreda is translated.

The translation from Basque to Catalan is no more frequent. There is nothing more than the odd anthology of poems and the occasional novel recently published by the Catalan editors.

The author of the report (presented in the I Simposi Internacional de Traducció en Llengua Catalana) outlines the very poor mutual literary knoledge of these two Countries (Catalonia and the Basque Country) which are, it seems, called upon to collaborate in many ways—above all in the field of literature. He also calls upon all those who have anything to do with literary production (author's, translators, editors associations) to unite and establish more fluent communication. To establish an exchange of well thought out information which will inform and enlighten one population and lead it to a greater understanding of the reality of the other.

The author proposes, to start with the making up of a really good anthology, directed by the schools, which will bring together a good sample of the literary works of both countries.

He afirms that in the Basque Country there does exist a real interest and even a certain admiration for Catalan literature and culture in so far as they are known. What has been done so far however is only the first step in a long road that has to be travelled.