The wonderful, entirely virtual third annual Rutgers Translate-a-thon took place on Feb. 19 2021. See the schedule below for details of translation projects to/from Spanish, Korean, and Russian, and the “Translating Culture” workshop. Thanks to all who participated! — we were so delighted to have you. Please stay tuned for the details of Translate-a-thon 2022, to be scheduled early in the spring semester. And take a look at the winning entries in our “Lost and Found in Translation” 100-word story contest here.
Warmest thanks to our sponsors: The Program in Comparative Literature, The Language Center, The Center for European Studies, The Rutgers English Language Institute/Rutgers Writing Program, and the Departments of Spanish & Portuguese, German & Russian, English, and Asian Languages & Cultures.
Schedule and list of projects:
12-12:30 – Opening gathering; introduction to the projects and event.
12:30-4 – Ongoing translation projects and workshops, including:
- Transcription and translation of video materials and labels for Fall 2021 Zimmerli Art Museum exhibitions (Spanish -> English and English -> Spanish). Coordinator: Amanda Potter, Zimmerli Art Museum.
- Translation of Julio Cortázar’s “Noticias del mes de mayo” (1969), a narrative poem reacting to the 1968 student protests in Paris, never yet published in English (Spanish -> English). Coordinator: Marcy Schwartz, Spanish & Portuguese.
- Translation of K-pop lyrics, current events-related tweets and webpages, poetry and other short texts (Korean <-> English). Coordinator: Jae Won Edward Chung, Asian Languages and Cultures.
- Translation of segments from Dostoevsky’s early political poetry, still unpublished in English, and selected excerpts from his Дневник писателя. (Russian -> English). Coordinator: Chloë Kitzinger, German, Russian & East European Languages & Literatures.
Plus, open to speakers of all languages:
- Translation workshop: Translating Culture (2-4 PM). Coordinator: Simon Wickhamsmit, Rutgers English Language Institute. This workshop offers an opportunity to explore the organic relationship between culture and language, and to see how, by simply changing how we describe the world, we have the potential to change our relationship with it. Looking at issues of gender and animacy in French and Navaho, and thinking about the complex taxonomies of the mind and livestock in, respectively, Tibetan and Mongolian, we will consider the ways in which we too express our own cultural diversity in our use of language. Knowledge of a language other than English is welcome, but not required.
4-5: Closing reception and presentation of “Lost and Found In Translation” prizes. Participants from all projects/workshops will have the opportunity to meet one another informally in breakout rooms, to discuss and present the projects they have been working on, and to connect with others at Rutgers with interests in language and translation.