About the thematic area
In the thematic area Traveling Texts we are interested in how translation changes cultural products, in how it negotiates ideological and aesthetic values.
We wish to further the understanding of the domestic and foreign, of how foreign texts and ideas change in translation, and of how the domestic arena (culture, literature, etc.) changes when foreign elements are imported; such studies may also further our understanding of national self-images and of how specific national cultures relate to the foreign.
As part of Traveling Texts we will explore relevant texts and focus on translational and transnational change and exchange. It is our belief that society’s understanding of transnational and transhistorical cultural interaction is enhanced when we learn more about how translation has been carried out in diverse sociocultural and historic contexts.
Who we are
This thematic area brings together scholars from different disciplines and departments Arabic, German, Spanish, Turkish, Ancient Greek, Polish, Latin, English, French, Nordic literature, Comparative literature, Ibsen Studies, Translation Studies.
Events
The backbone of Traveling Texts was a series of small-scale conferences/workshops.
In addition we arranged monthly seminars in English and Norwegian at the University of Oslo in collaboration with "Seminar for oversettelse".
Translation History
Translation History is the main topic of this two-day workshop, organized by Traveling Texts (University of Oslo) and the Norwegian Encyclopedia of Translators (Norwegian Association of Literary Translators).
Time and place: Jan. 24, 2022 9:00 AM – Jan. 25, 2022 3:30 PM, Professorboligen, Oslo sentrum with access to Zoom for the audience
The main purpose of the workshop is to gain insight into a part of history that is often overlooked, that is, translated history.
- How have translators and translations shaped history in general and literary history in particular?
- How has translated literature been read and discussed throughout history? What characterizes translations from different periods?
- What role does the ideological stand of the translator play?
- How is intertextuality manifested in translations? How do we write the history of translations and translators?
These are some of the questions that we hope to shed light on during the workshop.
Organizer
ILOS, The Norwegian Encyclopedia of Translators, Eva Refsdal , Kristina Solum and Geir Uvsløkk
World Literature in the Periphery
This symposium focuses on the processes behind the emergence of 'peripheral' literary works on the international literary scene, whether in direct translations into other 'peripheral' language markets (such as Norwegian) or through the mediation of other languages.
Time and place: May 11, 2017 10:00 AM – May 12, 2017 5:00 PM, Sophus Bugges hus, seminarrom 5
Out of consideration for participants with allergies, please refrain from using perfumes at the symposium.
As is often pointed to, it takes translation to turn local national literary works into World Literature. This symposium focuses on the processes behind the emergence of 'peripheral' literary works on the international literary scene, whether in direct translations into other 'peripheral' language markets (such as Norwegian) or through the mediation of other languages.
Who are the agents involved, how are works selected, promoted, and received as great literature? What is the role of translators, paratexts, publishing houses and media? How are genre conventions involved and, eventually, adapted by translators to meet local and international expectations?
The main focus will be on translations from languages such as Turkish, Arabic, Persian, and Japanese. Invited guests from abroad are Tarek El-Ariss (Austin), Claire Savina (Oxford) , Nike Pokorn (Ljubljana), Sehnaz Tahir (Toronto), Arzu Eker Roditakis (Thessaloniki), and Babli Moitra Saraf (Delhi).
Translation in Antiquity, Translating Antiquity: Methods and practices
Workshop at the University of Oslo
Time: Dec. 1, 2016 – Dec. 2, 2016
Keynote speakers
- Rachel Mairs, University of Reading
- Siobhan McElduff, University of British Columbia
- Oliver Taplin, University of Oxford
Theme
The workshop addressed the issue of ‘translation’ in relation to Greek and Roman texts from a double vantage point: in antiquity (between Greek and Latin and/or other languages) and in modern times (from Greek/Latin to a modern language).
Organizers
The organizers were Prof. Anastasia Maravela, Prof. Mathilde Skoie, postdoc Tor Ivar Østmoe. For information, contact: Tor Ivar Østmoe, t.i.ostmoe@ifikk.uio.no
Multilingual Poetics
Keynote speaker: Yōko Tawada (多和田葉子)
Time: Oct. 13, 2016
Ibsen in the World
The aim of the seminar is to bring together scholars with an interest in translation studies, in order to find common lines of reasoning and research on Ibsen’s translations.
Time and place: June 2, 2016 – June 3, 2016, University of Oslo
Henrik Ibsen’s rise as a world writer has been the object of several thorough studies during the last few decades, most notably within the framework of performance studies and theatre history. Yet, attempts at looking at how this has happened through the translated texts have been quite rare.
This seminar aims at partially filling this gap and invites contributions focused on Ibsen’s translations, both into European and non-European languages, from both its early reception and from later periods. The term “translation” is conceived in a relatively broad way and may include book translations, stage translations and adaptations of Ibsen’s plays – provided that the contributions focus on the textual side of these outputs and not only on their reception and/or performance.
We particularly welcome contributions on how ideological and aesthetic values are negotiated and changed in translation. Papers may, for instance, explore how issues related to gender, religion, the Nordic, social criticism, nature and intertextual quotes and references are dealt with by translators and other agents of translation.
The aim of the seminar is to bring together scholars with an interest in translation studies, in order to find common lines of reasoning and research on Ibsen’s translations, but also, more generally, on translation’s role as a tool to disseminate world literature. The intention of the organizers is to try to provide a picture of Ibsen in translation that is as comprehensive as possible, both geographically and temporally, and to publish the papers in an anthology or special issue of a journal.
"Gjenoversettelse av hellige tekster"
Keynote speaker: Jorunn Økland, University of Oslo.
Time: Mar. 11, 2016
Gender, translation and transnational reception
A workshop on gender issues both within the texts and in their paratexts as well as contexts. We particularly welcome contributions where gender is an important factor in understanding how translations in the broad sense change and negotiate ideological and aesthetic values.
Time: Nov. 12, 2015 – Nov. 13, 2015
A Norwegian History of Translators
In collaboration with The Norwegian Association of Literary Translators (NO). Speakers: Nils Håkanson and Alva Dahl from the Swedish Dictionary of Translators (Svenskt Översättarlexikon). Petra Broomans, University of Groningen and Ghent University. This event will take place in Norwegian and Swedish.
Time: Oct. 9, 2015 1:15 PM – 4:00 PM