News News: Translation Workshop at UMassD open to the Community

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is offering a free translation workshop, open to the community, from February 23, 2022, to April 20, 2022. The workshop, titled “The Literary Translator’s Voice: A Generative Workshop”, will be led by Prof. Elizabeth Lowe, the Hélio and Amélia Pedroso / Luso-American Foundation Endowed Chair in Portuguese Studies, on Wednesdays, from 6 to 7:30pm, at the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture. Application deadline is February 10, 2022.

Elizabeth Lowe, Professor of Translation at New York University”s School of Professional Studies, is in residence at UMass Dartmouth as the Hélio and Amélia Pedroso / FLAD Endowed Chair in Portuguese Studies. She is the author of The City in Brazilian Literature and Translation and the Rise of Inter-American Literature. Lowe has written extensively on translation theory and pedagogy, and has translated fiction by numerous Brazilian, Portuguese and Lusophone African writers, most recently Nélida Piñon’s The House of Passion, João Almino’s The Last Twist of the Knife, and Antonio Lobo Antunes’ Commission of Tears. As part of her residency at UMass Dartmouth, Lowe is offering a translation workshop titled, “The Literary Translator’s Voice: A Generative Workshop”. The workshop will be limited to 10 persons and will take place over 8 weeks (February 23 to April 20) running on Wednesdays from 6-7:30 pm at the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture. 

Designed for aspiring and practicing translators in academic departments at UMass Dartmouth and in the surrounding community, this eight-week workshop will help you find and refine your literary translator voice. Develop your literary translations with an expert in the field. The workshop will be conducted in English, seminar-style, in class once a week. Using theoretical readings and examples of works by renowned translators, the instructor will focus on literary translation as a cross-cultural, creative endeavor and guide you through some of the most relevant topics in the field today, including translating racial, gender, and sexual identities, reviewing work in translation, and how to begin publishing your work.  You will work at your own pace on your translations between class sessions and contribute to in-class discussions. All participants will have the opportunity to share their work in a public reading. By the end of the workshop, writers will have finished a polished translation that they may continue to prepare for publication.

Attendees will walk away with a knowledge of current trends in literary translation, and a clearer understanding of literary translation publishing.  You will receive feedback on your work in a small group setting from a leader in the literary translating field.  You have the opportunity to complete a literary translation that is one step closer to publication. This workshop is ideal for emerging and mid-career literary translators, academics keen on learning more about literary translation, professional translators and interpreters looking to break into literary translation, writers in English with a strong knowledge of Portuguese who want to expand their creative practice as well as writers whose first language is Portuguese who wish to translate into English.

The workshop is open to individuals with an advanced reading ability in Portuguese and excellent English language writing skills. Your email should include a brief biography of yourself, what attracted you to the workshop, and what you hope to get out of the workshop. Please attach a 500-word sample of a translation you have done along with a copy of the source text to your application, with a brief narrative describing the text and its author, and why you chose to translate this piece. If you cannot provide a translation sample, please attach a 500-word sample of your writing in English. This can be non-fiction, creative non-fiction, fiction, or a sample of an essay. In compliance with UMass Dartmouth policy for students, staff and faculty, all workshop attendees will have to present proof of COVID vaccination and booster.  This should be included in your application email. Please use the following e-mail contact: emccoy2@umassd.edu. The deadline to apply is February 10, 2022.