AUA’s Hayarpi Sahakyan, Co-Translator of Aline Ohanesian’s Orhan’s Inheritance

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YEREVAN, Armenia – The National Children’s Library of Armenia hosted on November 27 the launch of the Armenian translation of Aline Ohanesian’s Orhan’s Inheritance. Hayarpi Sahakyan, Office Coordinator in AUA’s Office of the Registrar, who holds a Certificate in Translation from AUA, and David Matevossian translated the book, which was published as part of the Aghet Series of Aktual Arvest Press.

An international bestseller, Ohanesian’s 2015 debut novel, which was an Amazon Best Book of April 2015, tackles the theme of the Armenian Genocide in a fiercely personal way. According to The New York Times Book Review, “Orhan’s Inheritance is itself a lament disguised as a romance, a narrative in which the reclamation of a family home, the weaves of carpets, even the scent of a handkerchief come to represent a private version of a much larger historical tragedy.”

The book was introduced to the audience by poet and translator Hakob Movses, who elaborated on the author’s approach to the sensitive topic of the Armenian Genocide and praised the work of the translators. In her brief speech during the event, Armenia’s Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan stated: “The book is most likely very interesting, considering who published it, who translated it, and who is presenting it today.”

In his talk during the event, Matevossian thanked his co-translator for her dedication and the excellent quality of her work. He talked about the challenges that the translators had faced and noted that final decisions regarding the translation and the final editing and proofreading phases proceeded in close consultation with the author.

Aline Ohanessian herself, in a video-recorded message, expressed her thanks to the translators and her appreciation of their meticulous work, expressing her joy on the occasion of her book being published in her native language.

When the publishers had approached Matevossian for an Armenian translation of Orhan’s Inheritance, he immediately asked Sahakyan to be his co-translator. “We had very little time to carry out the translation. The time pressure was immense, and, as you know, the topic is very sensitive to every Armenian and very difficult to express using the right words. I had collaborated with Hayarpi in the past and really appreciated her professionalism. I was happy she agreed to do it and, as expected, managed to deliver high-quality work on time,” Matevossian said. He recalled being referred to Hayarpi “from the time she was still a student in AUA’s Certificate in Translation program, which, in itself, is an indication of quality and professionalism.”

Both translators were happy with the result of their team effort. Matevossian said that they never “argued over stuff they disagreed on.” He emphasized Hayarpi’s readiness to suggest new solutions that would satisfy them both, which is “something I see in other translators involved in AUA’s program too.”

The translator graciously signed and donated a copy of the book to AUA’s AGBU Papazian Library.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.