Translator of the novel «What are you going for, wolf?» into Lithuanian received a prestigious award for it
The Belarusian novel by Eva Vezhnavets «What are you going for, wolf?» became popular in Lithuania, and its translation («Ko ateini, vilke?») received a prestigious literary award, writes Reform.news.
Jurgita Jasponytė-Burakienė. Photo: facebook.com/literaturos.vertejai
The 2026 Dominikas Urbas Prize was awarded to the Lithuanian poet and translator Jurgita Jasponytė-Burakienė for her translation of this book into Lithuanian. The novel is already considered an important work of modern Belarusian literature, and now it has been highly praised in Lithuania as well.
The jury noted that the translation is of very high quality and accurately conveys the features of the original text. Particular attention was paid to how the translator managed to preserve the language, style, and atmosphere of the novel — including folk expressions, dialects, folklore elements, and historical context. It is also emphasized that her comments help readers better understand Belarusian culture and traditions.
For Jurgita Jasponytė-Burakienė, this is an important stage in her career: previously, she mainly translated poetry, and this novel became her first major work in prose.
The Dominikas Urbas Prize is considered one of the most significant in Lithuania in the field of literary translation. It is awarded for the best translations that preserve the spirit and style of the original work.