The Translation Table, our monthly reading group dedicated to translated literature and literature about translation, is back for Volume 2. The sessions will run around the communal table at Tills & Company in Portobello, Edinburgh, and through online sessions that you can join from the comfort of your sofa for anybody who can’t make it in person.
The focus of our discussion will be the complex ideas surrounding the translation of literature. We will explore the notion of originality and ownership, understanding a translated work as ‘twice written’, both by the author and again by the translator.
Throughout the sessions, we will looks at how each book has been translated, and by whom; why we think this particular book was chosen for translation; what effect the linguistic and geographical journeys might have had on the book we read; how these same journeys affect the language of the book; and how a work in translation might impact a reader differently than reading a work in the original language.
The books that we have chosen for this series of meetings are all books that we love, and that we think are great starting points to prompt discussions around different aspects of translation. To complement the books and aid us in this journey, we have paired each work of translations with with excerpts from Kate Briggs's "This Little Art".
Whether you’re a professional translator, a translation student, or someone who just finds translation interesting and wants to learn more, this group is for you! Our goal is to create a space where we can all share our passion for literature in translation, and learn from each other in the process.
We hope to see you around the Table!
The Translation Table Volume 2 - Schedule & The Books
The Edinburgh Sessions
Session 1: 30th January (28th January Online).
"Traces of Enayat" by Iman Mersal, translated by Robin Moger
Session 2: 20th February (25th February Online).
"All Dogs Die" by Cemile Sahin, translated by Ayça Türkoglu
Session 3: 20th March (25th March Online)
"Deviant Disciples" (Translating Feminisms) edited by Intan Paramaditha, translated by Elisa Vitri Handayani, Norman Erikson Pasaribu and Tiflany Tsao
Session 4: 24th April (29th April Online)
"The Singularity" by Balsam Karam, translated by Saskia Vogel
Session 5: 22nd May (20th May Online)
"This Mouth is Mine" by Yásnaya Elena A. Gil, translated by Ellen Jones
Session 6: 19th June (17th June Online)
"Brandy Sour" by Constantia Soteriou, translated by Lina Protopapa