Literature vs World Literature

Literature can be simply defined as any written body of work. These can be in the form of novels, poetry, epics, short stories, essays, non-fiction, fiction, etc.

World literature, on the other hand, refers to the sum of all literatures from around the world. (Simple right?)

The term "World Literature" was first popularized by a German writer named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1827. Since he was German, he referred to it as "Weltliteratur."

3 Key Differences Between Literature and World Literature

Literature is often produced within the specific culture and language of its country of origin, reflecting themes, issues, and styles that align with the cultural and social dynamics of that place.

World literature, on the other hand, does not have this limitation, as it includes works from various cultures and is often accessible to the rest of the world. (Or at least most of the world)

Highlights:

• Literature reflects the culture and language of its origin
• While world literature spans various cultures and is usually accessible to a global audience

Literature is typically written and read in the mother tongue (native language) of the author.

While world literature frequently involves translation, as works are read by audiences who do not speak the original language.

The Bible is a well-known example of translated literature that has had a significant impact across various cultures and languages.

Highlights not needed

As mentioned before, literature is typically written in the author's mother tongue or in one of today's international languages, American English.

So literature written in international languages tends to have more audiences because of the simple fact that it can be understood by a wider range of people all over the world.

The audience for literature written in a specific language or dialect, on the other hand, is smaller compared to literature written in today's international languages, because it can only be understood by a limited group of people, often within a specific region or country.

Highlights:

• Literature written in international languages reaches a wider audience
• On the other hand, literature written in specific languages or dialects has a smaller audience, usually limited to a particular region or country

The Role Of Translation

Literature written in languages other than international ones, like American English, can broaden its audience by simply hiring a translator to translate the book into a more widely spoken language.

This allows the book to reach readers who may not be familiar with the original language, thus expanding its global reach.

On the other hand, literature written in international languages like American English can also benefit from translation.

By translating these works into specific languages or dialects, they can open up new audiences.

While these audiences might be smaller compared to those reached by international languages, any increase in audience size is still a gain.