English & Literature

"World" Literature has the potential to encompass many languages as well as cultural contexts.

Literature in Translation

When accessing that literature in translation, there may be subtle alterations in spelling or naming conventions, as well as in exact representation of the text. For this reason, conducting multiple searches for materials (and potentially looking at more than one version of a given item) may be of use in some cases. 

You can search the WorldCat database for the author and/or the original title of the work (if you know it), and limit the search to your preferred language with the dropdown filter. 

• Select advanced search
• Ensure you use the field drop downs to indicate if your search term is for the author, title, etc.
• Use the drop down filter for language to narrow to your preferred language.
• Note the option to search only our library collections, or to search libraries worldwide.

Additional search locations include: 

• UNESCO's Index Translationum, which the University of Rochester's Literary Translation Studies Library Guide states includes translations published since 1979.
• Publisher's Weekly also has a searchable translation database, for titles published after 2008.

Browsing library holdings in languages other than English

Traditional searches can be filtered by language.

Searching "everything" and then filtering by language will typically yield the greatest number of results of items and languages. Items not available on site can be requested from another campus or via Interlibrary loan.

One can also browse holdings available on site (though there may only be a few results), as follows: 

• Conduct an advanced search.
• Ensure rather than "Everything" that the search profile is set to "Books & Media (UW Superior)."
• Search for "*" (that's an asterisk in quotation marks) as your keyword.
• Filter by desired language.
• If desired: results can be further limited by selecting "Jim Dan Hill Library" in order to exclude online results.

Here is an example of this kind of advanced search with the language filter set to Hmong. 

• Hispanic Review. Per the platform host, this journal presents "[r]esearch in the Hispanic literary & cultural studies. Features essays & book reviews on the diverse cultural manifestations of Spain & Latin America, from the medieval period to the present."
• Journal of Arabic Literature. According to the platform, this title "[p]rovides literary, critical and historical studies, as well as review and bibliographies, on a broad range of Arabic materials - classical and modern, written and oral, poetry and prose, literary and colloquial."
• Journal of Language, Literature, and Culture  (Australasian Universities Language and Literature Association). As described through the hosting platform, this journal is "international in focus and content, and  "consciously eclectic and diverse in its range of content;" it "aims to publish stimulating, well-written, authoritative peer-reviewed articles on all topics relevant to the broad fields of language, literature and culture."
• Modern Philology: Critical and Historical Studies in Literature, Medieval Through Contemporary. This quarterly publication via University of Chicago Press "publishes original work in literary criticism, literary history, and archival scholarship.." The website specifically notes that it "welcomes contributions on literature in all modern world languages and encourages productive comparisons of texts and traditions from any part of the world."
• World Literature Today, out of the University of Oklahoma. The journal's website includes in its statement of mission that this magazine of "international literature and culture" aims to " serve the international, state, and university communities by achieving excellence as a literary publication, a sponsor of literary prizes, and a cultural center for students." 

Select "browse"; then from subjects, select "literature.