Symposium on Translation at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa

An International Symposium at the University of Hawaii at Manoa

Translation: Theory, Practice, Trope

January 22nd-23rd 2007

Organizers:

Cristina Bacchilega, Susan Schultz, S. Shankar

Translation is a central fact of human communication. It is a practical tool of communication as well as a powerful metaphor for it. Whether we speak of cultures or nations, of peoples or civilizations, no cross-linguistic conversation is possible without translation. Accordingly, the possibility of translation has over the ages enabled a rich exchange of ideas in linguistics, religion, philosophy, economics, literature, politics, and other spheres of human activity. At the same time, translation is often violence. The impossibility of translation "can the original ever be conveyed in translation without irreparable loss? is translation miscommunication rather than communication?" has also made it the object of anxious scrutiny in these very spheres.

Translation: Theory, Practice, Trope, an international two-day symposium at UH-Manoa, proposes to make a beginning in exploring the significance of translation within the contemporary world in a manner that is inter-disciplinary, practical as well as theoretical, and attentive to our location in the Pacific.

Guest Speakers include: Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak (Columbia University), Hosam Aboul-Ela (University of Houston), Noelani Arista (Brandeis University), Yunte Huang (UCSB), Donatella Izzo (Universita Orientale degli Studi di Napoli, Italy).

Speakers from UHM include: Arindam Chakraborty (Philosophy), Joel Cohn (EALL), Puakea Nogelmeier (HIPLL), Reina Whaitiri (English), and John Zuern (English).

The symposium has a three-part structure "two workshops, two-and-a-half hours long, during the afternoons of Janurary 22nd and 23rd and a concluding roundtable, open to the public, on January 23rd evening." The workshops, covering a range of topics relating to translation from a variety of cultural contexts, will begin with brief presentations by the speakers, followed by an open discussion amongst gathered participants.

The organizers invite scholars (faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students) interested in translation and ready to commit to attending the three events to write to them with a brief paragraph indicating desire to participate and the nature of their interest in translation. Please write to:

translidat@yahoo.com by Dec 4th 2006.

Made possible with the generous support of: Center for South Asian Studies-UH, College of LLL-UH, English Department-UH, Diversity and Equity Initiative, International Cultural Studies Program, Tinfish Press, UH-EH Conference Program, and University Research Council.