Traslation news
Umberto Eco publishes his latest work "Decir casi lo mismo. La traducción como experiencia" in Spain.
In a recent interview with Spanish newspaper "El País", Umberto Eco granted us one of his "philosophical pearls": "Anyone who feels completely happy is a cretin". The author of "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum" now invites us to enjoy his latest essay, which is dedicated to translation.
'Traduttore, traditore', goes the Italian saying; nevertheless, rather than judging translators to be traitors, Umberto Eco considers them to be craftsmen working with words. Once having interpreted a foreign language text, and taking all possible variations of meaning into account, the translator enters a negotiation with his/her own language in order that the translated text be capable of incorporating the not only the meaning, but also the values, of the "other" culture. A translator himself, Eco does not limit himself to theory. Rather, his new book is based on practical examples and includes an amusing version of The Book of Genesis, as translated by the Altavista automatic translation software.
2008 World Congress on Specialised Translation. Havana (Cuba)
World Congress on Specialized Translation to be held in Havana from 8th
to 13th December. 2008 has been declared International Language Year by
the UN. MAAYA, the World Network for Linguistic Diversity, is also to participate
in the event, which celebrates the Year of International Language and Intercultural
Dialogue by means of different activities to be held on the five continents.
As part of these activities, the MAAYA Network and Unión Latina,
with the support of Cuba's Translators and Interpreters Services Team (ESTI),
the Cuban Association of Translators and Interpreters (ACTI) and the Canadian
Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC), are to hold
the World Congress on Specialised Translation, with the aim of highlighting
the importance of specialised translation as a guarantee of multi-linguism
and as barrier against all attempts to favour a dominant monolingual dialogue.
The Congress' general objectives include:
- The generation of a debate about best practices aimed at improving the working conditions of specialist translators and promoting multilinguism in international communications.
- The proposal of original, valid ideas centred on improving the training of translators and raising awareness about the practical and economical advantages of employing specialist translation services.
- Providing solutions and presenting suggestions to internationally-influential bodies relative to the promotion of specialist translation as the main driving force behind a respect for linguistic diversity.
