This presentation posits that translation and original writing in different languages are fundamentally distinct. Original writing is closely tied to language choice, influencing register, tone, and narrative. Therefore, a work conceived in one language would differ if written in another. This premise puts into question the aims and status of literary translation and ultimately reframes translation as a unique source of literariness, separate from original writing, with its own distinct characteristics that stem from the infusion of other languages. However, rather than considering literary multilingualism in an original writing context and translation as mutually exclusive, we suggest that both are encompassed within the broader field of language contact. By delving into this framework, we will try to demonstrate how both practices derive from language contact situations. At the same time, we aspire to understand how different settings of language contact relate to one another and how they interact.