LangueFlow: Flowing with Languages

by Sabira Ståhlberg

In my multilingual life, language-, code-, culture- and mode-switching occur constantly and naturally. In my multicultural garden, linguistic repertoires flourish. Having discovered the freedom of a PolyGlot Poet, who seizes the right to break any rules with both hands, I was reluctant to open the door when the academic world thumped on it. A jardin à la française looked too linear after my meanderings in the Wildnis.

More than ten years ago, Johanna Domokos discovered my first novel and invited me for talks with her students and colleagues. We embarked on a translation, and successfully completing it, found that we wanted to continue with other publications together with Gruppe Bie at Bielefeld University.

Photo: S. Ståhlberg

Yet, when Johanna suggested that we meet with Marianna Deganutti and start working on a new project on exploring and creating multilingual awareness in literature and arts, I was curious but cautious: how can we explain to the wereld that multilingualism permeates all writing, because most humans che scrive use more than one language, et bring the discourse om code-switching ja literary multilingualism zu new levels?

In our new garden called LangueFlow, where languages grow and flow freely like a river to the c, we planted scientific analyses i workshops, seminars, Multea roundtables und conferences, alongside creative flowers not only från literature, but also de musik, Theater, tánc, multimedia…

Jana-Katharina Mende adds historical aspects und technology to Johanna’s broad range of codes és translations about growing herbs e vegetables. Marianna’s deep theoretical knowledge about literary multilingual gardens induce flowers to blossom, и my runaway rampant polyglot weeds sprout where they are least expected.