September 1, 2026
Ciphers Poufed Out
On a serendipitous proliferation of Bulgarians, “Women” “in” translation, queer Taiwanese literature, and Optatian with a Balkan twist: this is Miss Translation column 4.
Read MoreBela Shayevich
All articles by this author
May 13, 2026
Measuring “mistranslation,” assonance that won’t quit, plus two upcoming live (!) events
Deeply I Groaned
April 6, 2026
As a habitual translator of deceptively simple poems myself, I was not deceived.
A Strange Pattern in the Middle
January 27, 2026
Introducing Miss Translation
A review, a preview, and a puzzle
You may have noticed that this column feels a little incestuous (there is that Saskia Vogel again . . .) but that’s our world in translation. It’s small, and its actors, often by necessity, are prolific. It might also be because there are only so many people in the Swedish literary mafia. The theme for this month is the cold, by the way.
I will hang out with basically anyone for as long as I can — what else to do with myself?
Baby
Migizi Will Fly
The Indigenous-led movement to stop Line 3
It felt insane leaving our comrades in the ditch like that. In the hands of the police. In the dry and desecrated earth, under the anger and irritation of the police and the workers and hecklers. Treating us like we’re crazy, and useless, and dangerous, too.
November 6, 2020
Working the Polls
Voter suppression can be super banal. All you need is apathy.
An elder gentleman in a camel-hair overcoat and a perfectly askew black beret accosts our coordinator while trying to vote. He comes over to the scanners, still miffed. After his vote is cast, he turns to Lois and me. His issue, generally: “IT SAYS FILL THE BUBBLE TO THE LEFT. BUT THE BUBBLES ARE ABOVE THE CANDIDATES NAMES!!!”
Maybe I do have a people that I belong to; my people’s culture and tongue is to stand around silently, being ranted at.
Day of Memory
November 15, 2013
Compared to giving birth, the pain I experienced during my performance is more like a very unpleasant sensation.
Nail
August 1, 2013
Pussy Riot Denied Parole
Everywhere—in schools, prisons and universities, at voting stations and sitting in front of the TV—we are taught to obey, to lie, to bite our tongues, to say “yes” when we want to say “no.” The great cause of our civilization is to foster in ourselves, our children and friends an antidote to this obedience—an obedience that eats people alive.
June 20, 2013
The LGBT supporters were pelted with stinging nettles, rotten eggs, bottles of piss.
Day of Kisses 4
December 19, 2012
For me, the leftist idea is embodied in grassroots assistance; moreover, I’m a believer in pinpointed support.
