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E6: Bossed in Translation

For the season 4 finale, we sit down with Sherilyn Hellberg — an American writer and translator who swapped Long Island for Copenhagen after falling in love with Danish literature.

From deciphering Danish idioms to decoding the "hothouse" of Copenhagen's literary scene, Sherilyn shares her journey into the world of translation. You’ll hear about the pleasures and pitfalls of learning a language that can sound like “French underwater", the creative challenge of translating books that blur the line between poetry and prose, and why AI still can’t compete with the human touch when it comes to capturing nuance and tone.

Whether you’re a bookworm or a language lover, this episode is a delightful deep dive into the art and joy of bringing Danish stories to the world.

E6: BOSSED IN TRANSLATION

American translator Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg

American literary translator Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg (Photo: Daniel Hjørth)

For the season finale, we sit down with Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg, an up-and-coming American translator of Scandinavian fiction and non-fiction. After falling in love with Danish literature at school, she swapped Long Island for Copenhagen — and hasn’t looked back.

From deciphering Danish idioms to navigating Copenhagen's literary "hothouse," Sherilyn shares her translation journey. You'll hear about learning a language that can sound like "French underwater," translating books that blur poetry and prose, and why AI can't match the human touch for capturing nuance.

Whether you’re a bookworm or a language lover, this episode is a delightful deep dive into the art and joy of bringing Danish stories to the world.

Links:

Sherilyn’s official website

Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst

After the Sun by Jonas Eika

Deficit by Emma Holten

The Employees by Olga Ravn

My Work by Olga Ravn

The Faces by Tove Ditlevsen

Niels Lyhne by Jens Peter Jacobsen

Listen below or via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.