CfP: Self-Translation in the Iberian Peninsula

Self-Translation in the Iberian Peninsula

University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, 20-21 September 2013

During recent years self-translation has received growing scholarly attention, analysing the double bilingual and bicultural affiliations of the author-translators, their ideological stances, the stylistic, spatial and temporary reworking and adaptation of the ST, self-censorship or deliberate omissions and expansions. The multilingual and diglossic situation in the Iberian Peninsula offers a perfect intercultural and intracultural milieu to examine the political, cultural and economic implications and consequences of self-translation. Indeed, the interactions between official state languages (Portuguese and Spanish) and non-state languages (Basque, Catalan and Galician) generate a series

of cultural and linguistic tensions affecting notions of hegemony and interdependency between literary polysystems. This may be further problematized by the fact that some self-translations are presented as originals themselves, with both versions ‘competing’ with each other in the same book market, or by the fact that the self-translator’s autonomy to modify the ST for the target audience is less constrained than that of professional translators.

Given their double role/position/affiliation as authors and translators, self-translators are placed in a privileged position to scrutinise peripheral and hegemonic cultural identities. The aim of this conference is to explore the self-translators’ role as cultural mediators between languages of disparate status in the Hispanic and Lusophone context.

Suggested topics may include, but are not limited to:

· Language politics: diglossia, bilinguism, multilinguism

· Language/Cultural planning

· The ideologies of self-translation

· The book market and reception

· Cultural mediation

· National/territorial identities

· Subverting hegemony; centre vs. periphery

· Self-Translation as autonomous recreation

· Authorial voice/intervention/representation

The organisers intend to publish a selection of articles stemming from this conference.

Please email a 200-word abstract of your proposed 20-minute paper or 3-people panel by 31 May 2013 to the organisers, including name, institutional affiliation and contact details:

Dr Olga Castro (Aston University) o.castro@aston.ac.uk

Dr Sergi Mainer (University College Cork) s.mainer@ucc.ie