Czechast With Ladislav Nagy

In today’s episode, I have the pleasure of welcoming someone whose work transcends the beauty of language and bridges cultures through the art of translation. He’s a scholar, a critic, a translator of dozens of significant titles, and an educator shaping the future of English in the Czech Republic. Ladislav Nagy is the Director of the Institute of English Studies at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (or Budweis), known for his self-deprecating sense of humor.

"I am a provincial man. A country boy, you know. I never really moved to Prague. I feel very much rooted not in South Bohemia in general, but in the town of Tábor and the landscape around it. I feel happy there and I do not want to change it."

As a young man, Ladislav attended Charles University, studying English literature and philosophy, and started contributing reviews to the daily press and periodicals in the mid-1990s.

"It was a fascinating time. I am happy that I had the opportunity to study then."

Says Ladislav, who translated dozens of books from English to Czech, including Harold Bloom, Lawrence Durrell, Kazuo Ishiguro, and  Don DeLillo. So, is the present debate about the use of artificial intelligence relevant for him personally?

"Definitely. It's here and it will stay with us. The translating tools and software that were developed by companies like DeepL are quite fascinating and efficient."

Explains Ladislav Nagy adding that he is talking about translation of technical texts or guides. When it comes to translation of fiction, howerer, human element is still to important to be substituted by AI.

Ladislav Nagy is not just a scholar, translator and academic. He is also an experienced jockey and trainer, and even a member of the Presidium of the Czech National Jockey Club!

"I like to get up early in the morning and ride one of my two horses. Then I go to teach or translate. It is an excellent exercise in the morning to start your day."

I recorded the episode of Czechast with Ladislav Nagy at the Cafe of the Prague Municipal Library where the sound of the coffee machine blends with the rustle of pages, creating the perfect backdrop for storytelling.