Dear Colleagues,
You are very welcome to join us on Thursday for a virtual research seminar, organised by the School of Modern Languages and Cultures' 'Language and Society' research cluster at Glasgow.
Virtual Research Seminar, 3 March 2022, 1-2pm (GMT)
An Investigation Into the Activist Potential of Self-Translation: the Case of Sicilian
by Dr Magdalena Kampert (University of Glasgow)
The talk presents a work in progress on the activist potential of self-translation, defined as ‘the act of translating one’s own writings into another language and the result of such an undertaking’ (Grutman 2009). It addresses self-translation as a tool of empowerment, recognition and cultural inclusion, and asks whether it can affect the status of a language and culture that are considered minor. The distinctiveness of self-translation lies in the fact that the author and the translator are the same physical person, which entails a dual affiliation to distinct linguistic/cultural communities, as well as a particular notion of authority, understood as a privileged position in terms of the self-translator’s agency. The figure of author-translator implies instant validation of all versions of a work, suggesting that in principle self-translation consists of equal versions. This makes it a useful conceptual tool for reassessing and challenging the power relations between what is considered ‘major’ and ‘minor’.
This talk introduces the example of Luigi Pirandello, laureate of the Nobel Prize in literature, in his capacity of theatre self-translator between Italian and – broadly speaking – Sicilian, and presents him as an agent for diversity, giving voice to the marginalised. The talk analyses relevant elements of the historical, cultural and sociolinguistic context, and findings based on paratextual materials. In discussing the case study, it draws attention to asymmetrical power relations which pervade the process of self-translation and influence the dynamics of literary production, dissemination and recognition of the Sicilian plays. The case of Pirandello is a starting point for further investigation into contemporary forms of Sicilian self-translation which may help interrogate the power hierarchies and act as a means of promoting multilingual and multicultural sustainability.
Please register in advance for this free event via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/research-seminar-language-and-society-cluster-tickets-267046050927
Thank you, and best wishes
Magda
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