OnTranslation: Recent Episodes
Mohammed Albakry, Joseph McAlhany
A discussion of contemporary issues in translation, from classical past to the global present, hosted by Mohammed Albakry (English, Middle Tennessee State Univ.) and Joseph McAlhany (History, Univ. of Connecticut).
In this episode, host Mohammed Albakry and guest Hans Gabriel discuss the best practices and the do’s and don’ts of reviewing literary translations.
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A panel of theater practitioners and academics discusses the challenges of updating and modernizing Shakespeare’s plays for a contemporary English-speaking audience, and whether this artistic practice is co-creation, adaptation, or translation.
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In this episode, host Mohammed Albakry discusses the notion of “translationese,” what we mean by it it, as well as its main distinguishing features.
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In this episode, host Mohammed Albakry talks to Jesse Peart about the translation history of Homer's Odyssey into English and the differences among some of the key translations.
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Mohammed Albakry talks to Payton Armstrong about the history and genre of Bible translation and the different approaches to biblical translation.
A discussion of the different metaphors used to represent the act of translation, and what these tell us about translating and translators.
An interview with translator and editor Rachel S. Cordasco on the specific challenges presented by translating science fiction and speculative fiction. Mohammed and Rachel discuss geopolitical shifts in speculative fiction, science fiction beyond the west, the challenges of translating neologisms, and how these types of fiction encourage translators to search for a new language.
A discussion of the challenges in translating different types of humor, from linguistically embedded forms such as puns to more "prosaic" types that may have different cultural resonances.
Mohammed Albakry interviews Lynn Palermo, a translator from French and winner of a 2019 NEA Translation Grant Award. They talk about her work translating Fabienne Kanor's novel, the collaborative process in translation, teaching translation, and much more.
A discussion of the way translation and translators have been historically undervalued, and the changing status of translation in academia, especially for tenure and promotion.
A discussion of the challenges and opportunities in translating idioms and proverbs across languages and cultures, with examples from across the globe.
A discussion of the problems presented by dialects to the translator, with examples covering Flannery O'Connor, Aristophanes, and Mark Twain.
Beginning from Montequieu's pseudotranslated Persian Letters (1721) and delving into the legends of the Septuagint translation, Mohammed and Joseph discuss the problems with the trope of the "spirit" that has animated the long history of translation and translation studies.
An introduction to the podcast and your hosts, Mohammed and Joseph, including a brief overview of topics and issues to be covered in future episodes.