Literary migrations: foreigners who write in French. The work of Vassilis Alexakis, a writer in dialogue with his languages

Abstract

In recent years, the growing number of writers who adopt a “foreign” language as their language of creation has increased. The works produced within that what is called ‘literary-linguistic migrations” contain an instigate intercultural dialogue between the mother tongue and the cultural language of adoption and that can be found in the midst of geographic and identity shifts. Some writers pore critically over this personal and singular experience that distinguishes them, in spite of the similarities, in a priviledged and distinct way from the subjects involved with international contemporary migrations. That is the case of Vassilis Alekakis, the focus of this study, whose work has been outstanding since 1990 in comparison with the production of other foreign writers in the French literary scene. Writing also in Greek, the author also invite us to reflect with him about the present instability concerning the concepts involving the definition of “mother” tongue and “national” literature, when he weaves the threads of his narratives to show dilemmas, anguish, pleasure and discoveries, which are produced in the translation of one language to the other and from one culture to the other.