Why did you choose stylistics as your speciality? I have always been interested in the study of the literary styles of different writers and genres. For me stylistics is an intriguing discipline linking linguistics and literary criticism. How important is style in translation? The retention of the author’s style is a crucial task in translation. What do you most like about translating a text? For me the most enjoyable thing while translating a literary text is aiming at the penetration of the author’s mind. Can anybody become a translator? Being a good translator is almost like having a good ear for music – you either have the ability or you haven’t. What would be your recommendations for a beginning translator? It would be useful for a beginning translator to compare an original with a good translation. Out of the great number of books you have translated, which has been the most interesting for you? The most difficult? The most interesting books I have translated were most probably The Collector by John Fowles and Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. The most difficult or rather time-consuming translations have been those demanding glossaries and a great number of footnotes (e. g. The Plumed Serpent by D. H. Lawrence) How, in your opinion, has the quality of published translations changed with time? The quality of published translations has greatly improved during recent decades. However, there is still room for improvement, mostly in the publications of minor publishing houses. How has your theoretical knowledge helped you in your practical work as a translator? My theoretical knowledge has helped me enormously in my practical work as a translator. Facing various problems of translation, I often rely on the principles discussed at my lectures. What has been important for you outside your professional life? Outside my professional life, my family has always played an important part in my life. I enjoy reading modern literature and listening to classical music. I have also tried to make the most of my remaining years to visit places which for decades I had not been able to see. When could you first travel to an English-speaking country? What impressed you most? My first trip to an English-speaking country was in 1989, when I visited my relatives in the US and Canada. In 1990 I first visited Great Britain. Although since then I have been in all these countries again, I have never experienced the same incredible joy as on my first visit to London: I was thrilled to see Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus exist not only in works of fiction. Urve Hanko was interviewed by EATE Committee members Erika Puusemp and Ilmar Anvelt
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