In Trinity Term 2019, our discussion group will examine English translations of texts belonging to literatures which have often been deemed 'minor' (after Deleuze and Guattari) and/or underrepresented in mainstream (Western) academia. Each session will be facilitated by a specialist of the source language who will select and discuss a text in translation – be it poetry or prose – exploring the process of the 'original' text's migration into a new linguistic, cultural and socio-political space. After a brief introduction to the specificities of the selected language, a roundtable discussion will enable us to collectively interrogate, above all: what are the most significant aspects and dynamics that a literary translation can, could or should aim to convey and/or conceal?
The discussion group is open to everyone who is interested in these topics. No knowledge of languages other than English or familiarity with translation studies is required to participate, and there will be no preparatory readings circulated in advance. We will meet on Mondays of even weeks (week 2: 6 May, week 4: 20 May, week 6: 3 June, week 8: 17 June) at 12:45pm-2pm, inSeminar Room 11 in the New Library at St Anne's College, over sandwiches, fruit and coffee.
