September 30 is “International Translation Day,” with this year’s theme as Beyond Linguistic Barriers – A United World, proposed by the Congolese branch of the International Federation of Translators. For the fourth year, London will host an ITD symposium:
The program runs from around 9 to 9, with seminars on getting started, editing translations, reviewing translations, “wasting time online” and much more. There’s also a program on “making translations sing,” where Helen Chadwick speaks about her work translating interviews into songs, and an hour with Ngugi wa Thiong’o in conversation with Amanda Hopkinson.
And, in the evening: “‘German Comedy Ambassador’ Henning Wehn, leading Bangladeshi comedia Naveed Mahbub and guests join Natalie Haynes for an evening of comedy sets and conversation all about the pleasures and pitfalls of being funny in other languages.”
As in previous years, I expect there will be heavy Twitter coverage at #ITD.
Last year, on Egypt Independent, we ran a quiz to celebrate International Translation Day:
“A Brief History of Translation” — you can still take it.
The year before that, we had a series “In Other Words.” A few of the pieces:
Celebrating International Translation Day
In other words: The language of cinema
In other words: Trust your translator?
In other words: When translation stifles local talent