‘So, it’s recognising new talent in the translation profession, but also those editors who take a chance on a debut and then work with them to make them better – a role we all depend on, but don’t acknowledge often enough.’
Daniel Hahn
The TA First Translation Prize is an annual £2,000 prize for a debut literary translation into English. The Prize is shared between the translator and their editor.
It was established in 2017 and generously endowed by Daniel Hahn, with support from the British Council.
Entry to the 2022 TA First Translation Prize is now open
Enter Now
ENTRY DEADLINE: TUESDAY 2 AUGUST, 2022
- Publication date in English, in the UK or Ireland (or widely distributed) – between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022
- Prize does not accept poetry submissions
- Must be the first solo book-length translation by the translator (co-translators are not eligible)
- No self-published or e-book only titles
The 2021 TA First Translation Prize Winner and Runner up
Winner:Jackie Smith and editor Bill Swainson
for a translation of An Inventory of Losses by Judith Schalansky. (MacLehose Press)
Runner up:Padma Viswanathan and editor Edwin Frank
for a translation of São Bernardo by Graciliano Ramos. (New York Review Books)
You can listen and watch a reading of An Inventory of Loss by Jackie Smith Here
With thanks to judges: Daniel Hahn,Vineet Lal and Annie McDermott
If you are interested in any of the books here, please visit: Blackwells and Bookshop
The winners of the 2020 award were Nicholas Glastonbury and editor Saba Ahmed for a translation of Every Fire You Tend by Sema Kaygusuz (Tilted Axis Press). Translated from Turkish.
The runners up were Nicholas Royle and editor Tim Shearer for a translation of Pharricide by Vincent de Swarte (Confingo Publishing). Translated from French.
Shortlisted: Laura Francis and editor Ka Bradley for a translation of The Collection by Nina Leger (Granta Books). Translated from French.
Annie McDermott and editor Lizzie Davis for a translation of Empty Words by Mario Levrero (And Other Stories). Translated from Spanish.
Ruth Diver and editor Elise Williams for a translation of The Little Girl on the Ice Floe by Adélaïde Bon (MacLehose Press). Translated from French.
Owen Good and editor Bishan Samaddar for a translation of Pixel by Krisztina Tóth (Seagull Books). Translated from Hungarian.