RV: Conference, Hyderabad, October 2009

[Esther Monzó Nebot]

Conference: Socio-Cultural Approaches to Translation: Indian and
 European Perspectives Date and Venue: 28 - 30 October, 2009,
 Hyderabad, India
 
 In recent times translation has taken on a more central role in
 societies,
 whether in India or in the rest of the world. Far from being
 considered as a
 linguistic activity only it is now seen as bridging, and sometimes
 broadening, gaps between different cultures. In Translation
Studies,
 its
 socio-cultural dimension has been taken into account. It has been
 shown
 translation may bring new inputs into local cultures to the extent
 that it
 may even reshape them. It may develop national cultures to the
 detriment of
 more regional ones, or the reverse, or also play ambivalent roles.
In
 contexts where many languages coexist, its role as a vehicle for
 mediation
 and communication is sometimes questioned as it may elevate one
 language to
 a higher status while downplaying the others. It may reinforce
 jingoism or
 enculturation, prejudices or awareness of differences. In other
words
 translation modifies, or preserves, the perception of the other.
 Hence,
 translating as an activity and translation as the result of this
 activity
 are inseparable from the concept of culture.
 
 From this viewpoint words are not taken for themselves but for
their
 communicative functions. Translation methods and strategies,
different
 linguistic systems and their constraints in terms of meaning and
 construction, worldviews, etc. are still analyzed, but in so far as
 they
 reveal and contribute to a particular case of intercultural
 communication.
 Besides, translations never only affect words. Texts do not appear
on
 their
 own but accompany or are accompanied by pre-textual elements such
as
 book
 covers, figures, diagrams, colour, real products, etc. so that
 translation
 studies should analyze translations in their overall environments.
As
 can be
 seen, the concept of translation that is developed here is
 all-embracing. Is
 translation only an inter-linguistic process or does it also
 constitutes an
 inter-semiotic activity across cultures and languages?
 
 The time has now come to analyze and estimate the socio-cultural
value
 of
 translation in terms of its contribution to the receiving cultures,
 and also
 the translated cultures at times. One of the possibilities to
 understand a
 culture is to learn its language(s) and the sign systems operating
 within
 it. Another complementary one is to study what parts of it are
 preserved in
 translating. Besides being a daily activity, translation is thus a
 means for
 understanding and maybe improving inter-linguistic, inter-semiotic
and
 intercultural communication. The question whether cultural
synthesis
 can be
 achieved deserves attention.
 
 Aim of the conference
 This international conference would like to bring together Indian
and
 non-Indian perspectives on translation with a view to setting up a
 platform
 for discussion, comparison and long-term collaboration. It aims to
 analyze
 how different cultures interact and interfere with one another
through
 translation.
 
 Venue: University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
 
 Organizers: Prof. J. PRABHAKARA RAO (University of Hyderabad,
India)
 and
 Prof. Jean PEETERS (Université de Bretagne-Sud, France)
 
 Scientific committee
 Prof. J. PRABHAKARA RAO, University of Hyderabad, India.
 Prof. Pramod TALGERI, Vice-President, Inter-Disciplinary
University,
 Pune
 Prof. B.R. BAPUJI, CALTS, University of Hyderabad, India Prof. Jean
 PEETERS, Université de Bretagne-Sud, France.
 Prof. Michel BALLARD, Université d'Artois, France Prof. Teresa
 TOMASZKIEWICZ, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan,
 Poland.
 
 Participants
 Scholars in the fields of Translation Studies, Cultural Studies,
 Sociolinguistics, Languages, Indology or with an interest in
 Intercultural
 Communication.
 
 No. of Participants
 10 (from Europe) + 10 (from India)
 
 Paper Proposals
 The conference encourages paper proposals in relation with the
 above-mentioned topics. Studies between languages other than
English
 will be
 favoured.
 
 The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 31st May 2009.
 Participants
 intending to give a paper should email an abstract of 600 words
 maximum as
 an attached file (MSWord format or RTF) to pjand...@gmail.com and
 jean.p...@univ-ubs.fr
 
 The maximum number of papers is 20 (10 Indian and 10 non Indian).
The
 proposals will be assessed by the scientific committee on the basis
of
 their
 relevance to the conference's topic.
 The scientific committee will return its decision by 30th June
2009.
 
 Paper duration
 The papers should be no longer than 25 mn and will be followed by
10
 minutes
 for discussion.
 
 Working language: English
 Contact Details: pjand...@gmail.com, jean.p...@univ-ubs.fr
 Registration: Registration fee: Indians: Rs.2,500/-, Non-Indians:
 Rs.5,000/-
 The hosting Institution, i.e. Centre for Study of Foreign
Languages,
 University of Hyderabad, will provide local hospitality to
 participants
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