Cultural exchanges through translation between Slovenia and Montenegro in the context of the (pre- and post-)Yugoslav period (1918–2023)

Mezeg, Adriana (author), Vušović, Olivera (author), Tatar-Anđelić, Jasmina (author)

This study examines the dynamics of cultural exchanges between Slovenia and Montenegro through the lens of translation activities before, during and after the Yugoslav period (1918–2023). It seeks to understand how historical and political changes have influenced book translation between the languages used in these two countries and what these trends reveal about intercultural communication and exchange in the region. Based on data from the Slovenian and Montenegrin COBIB bibliographic databases, our research revealed a significant divergence in translation activity, with 179 translations of Slovenian authors and 56 translations of Montenegrin authors. The data was also analysed by type of literature (prose, poetry, drama, non-fiction), by target readers (adults, children and young adults) and by three important historical periods (1918–1945, 1946–1990 and 1991–2023). The analysis revealed a strong contrast in the translation of non-fiction books. The greatest imbalance and an obvious predominance of Slovenian authors concerns the translation of specialised monographs and especially the genre of textbooks. Finally, the analysis of translation flows revealed a moderate increase in the second, Yugoslav period (1946–1990), and a significant increase in the third period (1991–2023) following Slovenia’s declaration of independence and its accession to the EU.

• Language: English
• Keywords: translation, book market, fiction, non-fiction, Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Montenegro, publishing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 648–676
• Numbering: Vol. 70, iss. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176628
• UDC: 81'25"(497.4:497.16)"1918/2023"
• ISSN on article: 0044-3506
• DOI: 10.1515/slaw-2025-0035
• COBISS.SI-ID: 255578115
• Publication date in RUL: 05.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Zeitschrift für Slawistik
• Shortened title: Z. Slaw.
• Publisher: De Gruyter, De Gruyter Brill
• ISSN: 0044-3506
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26680576

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prevajanje, knjižni trg, leposlovje, neleposlovje, Jugoslavija, Slovenija, Črna gora