Summer School
FAQs
What is the aim of the Summer School?
The aim of the Summer School is to offer an intensive, one-week, residential programme of hands-on translation practice, with the authors present, supplemented with seminars and lectures addressing various aspects of the theory, practice and business of literary translation.
How is the week structured?
The core activity of the week is the literary translation workshops, during which the participants work on a consensus translation of a particular text. They are led in their translation work by the workshop leader, in partnership with the author of that text. The final consensus translations are presented to all participants at the end of the week, together with commentaries on the problems each group encountered, the options they discarded and the solutions they chose.
Which text will I be translating?
The text is selected by the workshop leader and the author. The group works together to produce a consensus translation of the selected piece of text, which may be a group of poems, a short story or a chapter from a longer work such as a novel. The texts will be carefully selected so as to be challenging for translation; the language should be rich, with a strong voice, interesting style and tone, and full of nuances and cultural specificities.
What is the role of the workshop leader?
As they work through the text, usually sequentially, the workshop leader encourages all participants to offer potential translations of words and phrases for discussion within the group and peer learning. The workshop leader guides the group as they work together to write a draft of the translation, which will be polished throughout the workshops.
Will I have the opportunity to discuss the text with the writer?
Yes. Participants will discuss with the author language-specific translation issues that arise and have the opportunity to explore in depth all the elements of the text, nuances and specific cultural references.
How many participants are there in a workshop group?
Each workshop group comprises no more than ten participants, who are generally early- to mid-career translators.
Related links
Related content
Sebald Lecture
Sean O’Brien gave the 2012 Sebald Lecture at Kings Place on Monday 6 February.
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Summer School
Apply now for our Summer School 2012.
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Opportunities
Find out about translation prizes, awards, competitions and other funding opportunities
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Publications
Our publications include the journal In Other Words as well as initiatives about new books in German and Spanish
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