Translation as Transfer of Cultural Images

Tuesday, 11 May 2021 (14:00-18:00)

Organized by the Department of Translation Studies
Luc van Doorslaer, luc.vandoorslaer@ut.ee
Irina Siseykina, irina.siseykina@ut.ee

This colloquium is the fifth workshop of the Cultural Transfer Research Group of the Enlight University Network.

Please note: all time indications are in Estonian time (= CET +1)

First session (chair: Luc van Doorslaer)

14:00	Luc van Doorslaer (University of Tartu / KU Leuven) Introduction
14.15	Paola Gentile (University of Trieste / University of Tartu) The transfer of images from the Low Countries to Italy: A glance at Dutch-language fiction translated into Italian
15.00	Anne O’Connor (NUI Galway) Viral Imagology? National self-image on the move in the nineteenth century

15.45 self-service coffee/tea break

Second session (chair: Irina Siseykina)

16.15	Jeanette den Toonder (University of Groningen) Migrant bodies and cultural transfer: How narratives of migration counter cultural stereotypes
17.00	Philipp Hofeneder (University of Graz) Translation spaces: Mobility of persons vs. the circulation of objects
17.45	Closing remarks

Abstracts and bio notes

Translation is a cultural transfer par excellence, and in its essence of transgressing boundaries also highly contemporary. Over the past decades, cultural and sociological approaches in translation studies have largely shown that translation is no longer considered a traditional linguistic activity based on the concepts of equivalence and non-change. Nowadays, translation is investigated as an instrument of societal and cultural impact, with translators being conceptualized as agents as well as source and target culture actors. Seen from this perspective, translators are deeply involved in the processes of gatekeeping, representation, and national and cultural image-building.

This colloquium will present four international speakers dealing with manifestations of translation as transfer of cultural images. They will approach the theme from various angles (methodological, historical, etc.) and will cover the transfer between very diverse cultural and language areas (see abstracts). After every presentation there will be time available for Q&A.

Colloquium recordings

The colloquium was recorded in 4 parts:

Part 1: Introduction by Luc van Doorslaer and first presentation by Paola Gentile
Part 2: Anne O’Connor
Part 3: Jeanette den Toonder
Part 4: Philipp Hofeneder