CULTUS 14: Translation plus: The added value of the translator

Translators, when not getting any press tend to get bad press, and the translation profession itself appears to be suffering an existential crisis (low play, status and uncertain future). However, this is not the full picture. The proposed issue intends to bring together practical applications of “translation plus”, where the translator (interpreter) is an essential collaborator working with (as much as for) the author, commissioner or any other actor in the process.

We are looking for case studies, situations, where the translator (in the widest sense of the term) is not “just the translator”, and is listened to rather than simply ‘used’. For example, Romero Fresco (2013) introduced the idea of the audiovisual translator as an integral part of “universal design” in filmmaking and translation, while Jemielity talks of his experience as the translator becoming essential to corporate marketing strategy. In both cases, the translator’s particular skills add recognized value to the process and to the product.

We would welcome contributions that focus on personal experience, or examples from history that may be generalized or used as a model for future translators. We particularly welcome proposals on collaborative translation addressing the following topics:

• How the status of the translator/interpreter has been re-evaluated to include higher autonomy decision making;
• When the interpreter is a facilitator, agent and how the ‘uncertainty zone’ has been reduced;
• How the principals of Universal Design are being extended to translation;
• In the audiovisual world, examples of ‘accessible’ film production
• Aspects of insider-outsider relationships and epistemic privilege;
• Approaches and models (e.g. participatory action research) suitable for investigating collaborative translation;
• How the profession as a whole can move forward with “the translator on the board”;
• How training has or should be modified to prepare students for these roles.

Jemielity David (2019) “Translation and writing in a corporate environment: making it count in the C-suite” https://www.metmeetings.org/en/translation-and-writing-in-a-corporate-environment:1239

Romero-Fresco, Pablo (2013) “Accessible filmmaking: Joining the dots between audiovisual translation, accessibility and filmmaking”, Jostrans 20, 201:223.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 May 2020

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