MINELRES: Fourth Mercator International Symposium on Minority Languages, Wales, 26-28 October 2005

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: George Jones <zyw@aber.ac.uk>


Dear Sir / Madam

I would like, through you, to draw attention to a symposium to be held
at the University of Wales Aberystwyth in October this year, namely the
Fourth Mercator International Symposium on European Minority Languages
and Research: Translation of Culture, Culture of Translation.  Further
details can be found at
http://www.aber.ac.uk/mercator/english/events.htm 
but I attach some files giving a brief outline of the theme of the
symposium in various languages.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer in publicising
this event.

With best regards,

George Jones 
Mercator Media
Dept. of Theatre, Film and TV Studies
University of Wales Aberystwyth
---------------------------------------


IV Mercator International Symposium on European Minority Languages

Translation of Culture, Culture of Translation: Languages in Film,
Television and Literature 
University of Wales Aberystwyth 26, 27 and 28 October 2005

Language transfer, which includes, for the purposes of this symposium,
subtitling and dubbing of both film and television as well as literary
translation, is a multi-faceted phenomenon from the point of view of
minority languages.  It can be used to disseminate cultures which find
themselves outside the audiovisual and literary 'mainstream' and to
maximise audience or reader numbers for minority cultural products. 
Moreover, translation into minority languages not only increases the
volume of available material in a marginalised language, but may have a
wider cultural impact and contribute to the development of the language
as a dynamic creative medium.  On the other hand, the effect of
'importing' cultural references on a large scale may not always be
viewed positively.

This symposium will seek contributions to this discussion from those
active as practitioners and policy-makers in the audiovisual and
literary fields (producers, directors, broadcasters, subtitlers and
dubbers, scriptwriters, publishers, authors, translators) as well as
those concerned with these issues in an academic context.  While the
emphasis will be on autochthonous minority languages (that is to say the
languages of groups long-established on their current territory and
using a language other than the primary official language of their state
or a language in some sense socially and/or politically marginalised)
connections may be made with issues of concern to smaller state
languages, migrant languages and cultural production originating from
beyond the metropolitan mainstream.  We shall welcome contributions
which make those connections.  Key areas of discussion will include (but
need not be limited to):

- The politics of translation
- The effects of 'global' culture
- Cultural policy and translation
- Language transfer and cultural transfer
- Translation and language planning
- International partnerships
- Digital technology and the internet
- Sign languages in the audiovisual media
- Learners and fluent speakers as audiences/readers
- Children as audience/readers

Abstracts of approximately 500 words or suggestions for panel
discussions should be sent (as Word files or as plain text within the
e-mail) to george.jones@aber.ac.uk by 1 June 2005.  Notification of
acceptance will be sent by 1 July 2005. 

Written abstracts/proposals submitted for consideration will be accepted
in Welsh, English, German or French. Abstracts in other languages can be
considered subject to prior agreement with the organising committee. The
final papers selected may be delivered in any of the above languages.
However, only papers delivered in Welsh will be simultaneously
translated (into English only). Translation into and from BSL will be
arranged in consultation with Deaf participants.

The fee for attendance will be ?120 (EUR175) or ?65 (EUR 95) for
students.  This will include lunch on 26 and 27 October and one evening
meal but not accommodation.  Information on accommodation will be sent
to those registering, including a list of local establishments to assist
participants in making their own arrangements.  

Registration

Registration details can be found on line at www.aber.ac.uk/mercator.