Can a writer learn from translator?

Depends on how we understand translation. If we follow our common sense and relay on the most obvious and straightforward understanding of translation, the answer will be negative. In this case we think of translation in terms of communication and consider it a secondary or an auxiliary form of our linguistic practice. The story is well known. Unfortunately, we speak many different languages (a God’s punishment, according to the Bible), which is why we cannot understand each other. As long as we stay “within” a language, understanding is provided, meanings are transparent and communication successful. The moment, however, we step out of “our language” and enocunter a “foreign word”, communication breaks down and we fall into the abyss of total opacity. Luckily, a translator arrives on scene, builds a bridge over the abyss and help us to move on, restore the broken communication and the continuity of understanding. Sometimes we politely say “thank you”, but most of the time we feel happy not having noticed it. Or we make misogynic comments on translations as “les belles infidèles” –  either beautiful or faithful, but never both. There is, however, a serious theory that understands translation beyond the paradigm of communication and opens up its much wider, cultural, political and social meaning.

The class will evoke student’s own experiences with translations, get a short but necessary introduction into the theory of translations by engaging in close reading of chosen texts hoping to answer the title-question positively.

Readings:

Boris Buden/Stefan Nowotny: “Cultural translation: An introduction to the problem”, Translation Studies 2/2 July 2009, p.196-208.

- Structure and Dynamics of the World System of Translation UNESCO, International Symposium ‘Translation and Cultural Mediation’, February 22-23, 2010

https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/1611/1611_a2015n9/1611_a2015n9a4/Heilbron.pdf

-- Guardian: “At risk of digital extinction: Europe's smaller languages fight to survive”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/mar/26/digital-extinction-europe-languages-fight-survive

- “At Least 21 European Languages in Danger of Digital Extinction”

http://www.meta-net.eu/whitepapers/press-release

- Nicholas Ostler, The Last Lingua Franca

http://www.themontrealreview.com/2009/The-Last-Lingua-Franca-English-Until-the-Return-of-Babel.php

- Nicholas Ostler: “Why should we protect endangered languages?” (Video)

https://vimeo.com/25705876

 

A collection of more than 20 essays on “translation,” each in at least three languages:

“under translation”/06 2006

https://transversal.at/transversal/0606

“borders, nations, translations” /06 2008

https://transversal.at/transversal/0608

“talks on translation” / 09 2008

https://transversal.at/transversal/0908

Douglas Robinson, Critical Translation Studies, London and New York: Routledge, 2017

Consists in the active participation and contribution (discursive, textual and performative).

The module grading is based on the mentioned contribution, active in-class participation and

• - submission of written assignments (word minimum of 1000 total)

“Students from other departments or universities will be given a place on the course subject to room capacities.”