Archive · 1 Feb 2026
Jhumpa Lahiri on Translation and Identity
Jhumpa Lahiri is a famous author who has written books in both English and Italian.
In this interview, she talks about translating her own stories from Italian to English.
She says that translating her work is like becoming a different person because the languages are so different.
She also talks about how she doesn't feel like she belongs to any one place, even though she has lived in many countries.
Lahiri believes that being an outsider helps her writing because it gives her a unique perspective.
She thinks that the idea of belonging to a place is not as important as belonging to the people and things you love.
Lahiri's mother felt a strong connection to Kolkata, but Lahiri herself doesn't feel the same way.
She finds the idea of being an outsider freeing and essential for her creativity.
Jhumpa Lahiri discusses the process of translating her own work from Italian to English, describing it as a radical transformation that changes the rhythm and feel of the text.
She explains that translating her own work is strange because she doesn't have the same relationship to the text as she would if someone else were translating it.
Lahiri feels that being an outsider is essential for any artist, as it feeds the creative impulse with a sense of solitude and alienation.
She does not feel a strong sense of belonging to any place, including Kolkata, where her mother felt a deep connection.
Lahiri believes that the idea of belonging to a place is a myth and that she belongs more to her thoughts, experiences, and loved ones than to any specific location.
- Who
- Jhumpa Lahiri, an author and translator
- What
- An interview about translation, identity, and the experience of being an outsider
- When
- The interview was conducted recently, with references to Lahiri's current work and experiences
- Where
- The interview was conducted in Calcutta (Kolkata), India
- Why
- To discuss Lahiri's process of translating her own work, her feelings about identity and belonging, and the impact of being an outsider on her writing
- Author
- Jhumpa Lahiri
- Work Translated
- Raconti Romani (Roman Stories)
- Original Language
- Italian
- Translated Language
- English
- Translator
- Jhumpa Lahiri and Todd Portnowitz
- Nationality
- British and American
- Residency
- Rome, Italy
- Notable Work
- The Namesake