Europe's largest translation prize to Paula Stevens
On 18 April, Dutch translator Paula Stevens received Europe’s largest translation prize, the Martinus Nijhoff Prize, for her translations of Norwegian literature. We at NORLA offer her our warmest congratulations!
The prize is awarded by the Cultuurfond in the Netherlands and is worth EUR 50,000. It was presented in Amsterdam on Thursday 18 April.
From the jury’s statement:
- "The jury is very impressed by her translations: extensive, varied and, not least, of consistently high quality. The work of an accomplished language lover. In addition, Paula Stevens is a unique spokesperson for brilliant Norwegian authors in Dutch.
Paula Stevens (b. 1955) has studied Scandinavian languages and literature and since 1982 has translated almost 80 books from Norwegian, including works by Lars Mytting, Karl Ove Knausgård, Edvard Hoem, Roy Jacobsen, Nina Lykke, Lars Saabye Christensen, Åsne Seierstad, Herbjørg Wassmo, Jan Kjærstad and Johan Harstad. In 2006, Stevens was appointed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for her considerable efforts to promote Norwegian literature and culture in the Netherlands and Belgium.
- “Good translations from Norwegian into other languages are key for getting Norwegian literature out into the world. We at NORLA are delighted that the Martinus Nijhoff Prize 2024 is awarded to Paula Stevens and send her our warmest congratulations. Paula is a translator who over the decades has been of crucial importance for both the dissemination of Norwegian literature and cultural understanding in the Dutch language area,” says NORLA’s director Margit Walsø.
More information
Here you can watch a short introductory film about Paula and the award.
Read more about Paula and her translations here
And more about the prize here (in Dutch)
