Dealing with the Competition of English-language Export Editions: Voices from the Dutch Trade Book Market

Giulia Trentacosti,Nick Pilcher

doi:10.1007/s12109-021-09798-6

Giulia Trentacosti, Nick Pilcher

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-021-09798-6

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Abstract

This project explores the responses of the Dutch trade book market to the ever-increasing influx of Anglophone publications. Based on in-depth interviews (n = 42) carried out between 2015 and 2017 with Dutch publishing professionals, this research identifies the approaches and strategies they adopt to defend their market from the competition of English-language editions. Findings show that the main defence strategy used is to release translations simultaneously with English-language originals, but that this creates significant pressures on both publishers and translators. Concomitantly, there has been an increasing focus on Dutch originals and non-Anglophone books. The strategies and approaches documented in this study may be of interest for scholars and practitioners in relation to other book markets and linguistic areas facing similar circumstances.

Highlights

English language proficiency is growing globally with approximately 400 million people worldwide speaking English to some degree [14]
In terms of questions asked to the participants interviewed, these focused on areas such as the role and extent of Anglophone publications in the Netherlands and what possible strategies were being adopted to protect Dutch language publishing for the future
The first considers the perceptions of those in the Dutch book trade regarding the extent of the influx of Anglophone editions and how this competition influences the rights acquisition practices of Dutch publishers

Summary

Introduction

English language proficiency is growing globally with approximately 400 million people worldwide speaking English to some degree [14]. In Europe, the most recent survey (Eurobarometer 386) showed that 38% of Europeans speak English, with close to 90% of the populations of some countries doing so, including the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark [21]. At a higher education level, English Medium Instruction is growing rapidly in both Europe and the world [18], due to the need for Higher Education institutions to attract teachers, researchers and students from anywhere in the world in order to increase their. Publishing Research Quarterly (2021) 37:278–292 international outlook and competitiveness [30]. This increase looks set to continue in Europe, despite the occurrence of political events such as Brexit. English is deeply embedded within European societies in many domains, from business, to education, science, technology, travel, traditional and new media, as well as entertainment [51]

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