Mediation between Linguistic Hegemony and Periphery Languages in the Nobel Prize for Literature

Abstract

This article explores the Nobel Prize for Literature as an embodiment of Western hegemony, despite its universal disposition. It demonstrates that the award is prestigious and canonises selected literary works as quintessential, as well as offering social and economic benefits to authors. However, the article contends that there are ideological and geopolitical considerations apart from quality that are addressed by the Swedish Academy to identify the winner every year, chief among them being the language of writing. The article demonstrates that literary works that are apt to win are generally those that are written in the dominant languages of the metropolis, especially English. It further cast doubts on the chances of winning for writers who use marginal languages, for example, African national languages, considering that even translations tend to misrepresent texts in the source language. The article avers that the Nobel Prize epitomises hegemony, language being a key component. Using postcolonial theory, the article further lays bare how writers use marginal languages to mediate with linguistic hegemony through appropriation, abrogation and evolution of argots. The article asserts that the Swedish Academy needs to rethink the question of language in awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature or else it can become displaced and parochialised as users of minor languages negotiate with it.