ALTA 2014 Translation as Betrayal?
Channel: Literary Translation
Date: 13/08/2015

All translation involves a distortion (betrayal) of the original—traduttore, traditore—translator, traitor. Translators may be accused of treason when they take over-enthusiastic liberties with the text, when they wittingly or unwittingly misrepresent the text, or when they so strictly adhere to the literal that the translation doesn’t make sense. Puns, idioms, not to mention flavor and cadence, are often impossible to replicate in another language, thus, a people and a culture can be betrayed. Is conflict inevitable? Is a cease-fi re the most we can expect? Or can a negotiated settlement be achieved.

Moderator: Barbara Goldberg

Participants: Keyne Cheshire, Alexis Levitin, Katherine E. Young