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Literary Translation: Building Audiences, Training Practitioners

Summary of the impact

Political events across Arab nations focus the attention of stakeholders in government and business, including publishing, on the imperative of culturally sensitive translations from Arabic. Increasing interest in Arabic literature necessitates professional-ethical standards in translating. Research-informed translations at University of Edinburgh by Marilyn Booth and research-based translator training supports development of more sensitive translations, thus aiding a granular understanding of socio-cultural complexity in Arab societies amid dynamic political change. Such translation activities refute `clash of civilisations' discourses and stereotyping of Arabs and Islam. The research and resulting training methods impact practice and enhance support for emerging UK and Arab-region translators, approximately 80 to date.

Submitting Institution

University of Edinburgh

Unit of Assessment

Area Studies

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration
Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies

Literary Translation: Theory into Practice

Summary of the impact

The present case study describes the impact of research at the University of East Anglia (UEA) on the practice, publishing and public understanding of literary translation. W.G. Sebald founded the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) at UEA in 1989 to promote and encourage the translation of literary works, to support practising translators and to foster the study of translated literature. BCLT is a thriving international public cultural institute whose ethos and programme are shaped and informed by researchers working between the Centre and its academic home, the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing (LDC). Via workshops, publishing initiatives and a range of local, national and international events, the work of these researchers has had a significant impact on the public perception and understanding of literature in translation, and on the market for this literature within the UK and beyond.

Submitting Institution

University of East Anglia

Unit of Assessment

English Language and Literature

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies

Theatre Translation and Cultural Encounter

Summary of the impact

This case study describes the impact generated by new thinking on the representation of the foreign in translation for the theatre. The main beneficiaries of the research are theatre audiences across the English-speaking world, as well as theatres, theatre companies and publishing houses. As a result of the project's insights into localisation and performability, theatre audiences have benefited from intellectual and imaginative engagement with a more authentic and lucid interpretation of Hispanic theatre and culture that challenges their own cultural values. The work has also contributed to the creative economy through the generation of income from the stage productions and the publication of translations.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies

Promoting wider access to key works by Max Weber (Political Writings) and Friedrich Nietzsche (The Birth of Tragedy and other Writings) through the provision of new translations/editions.

Summary of the impact

The principal, interrelated forms of impact claimed for these two new editions/translations are educational and economic.

The educational impact derives from:

  • ensuring that the discussion of Nietzsche and Weber rests on reliable versions of key writings
  • providing the first English versions of some less well-known, but important writings
  • providing detailed commentaries and annotations to assist new readers
  • facilitating wider public access to seminal writings in their respective fields by their publication in two influential and widely respected series
  • using English to bring Nietzsche and Weber to a worldwide audience of learners.

The economic impact (totalling £200,328 to date) has been generated by high annual sales (so far 24,204 copies of Nietzsche and 9,866 copies of Weber sold), with £67,279 generated between 2008 and 2012. These sales figures reflect the widespread adoption of the texts on educational courses across a range of disciplines and in many different countries.

The new versions of Weber's foundational political essays also "enhance public understanding" of key issues in "civil society". The new version of "The Birth of Tragedy" has presented a key part of the "cultural capital" of Europe to a wider international readership.

Submitting Institution

University of Birmingham

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies

Shaping European Policy on the Training of Translators

Summary of the impact

The European Masters in Translation (EMT) is a partnership between the European Commission and higher education (HE) institutions in 27 member states that offer master's level translation studies programmes. The EMT sets a benchmark of quality and assesses MA programmes. Based on his research into low-quality translation in public discourse, revision techniques and the assessment of translation quality, Federico Federici co-authored policy documents to which all EMT partners must refer. His distinctive contribution is to ensure that, for the first time, the training of translators in EMT-accredited organisations should foster continuous learning skills and enhancement of skills so as to prepare students for lifelong careers as translators.

Submitting Institution

University of Durham

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Education: Specialist Studies In Education
Language, Communication and Culture: Linguistics

Promoting Inter-Faith Understanding Worldwide through an Accessible Translation of the Qur’an (Muhammad Abdel Haleem)

Summary of the impact

In his 2004 and 2010 Oxford University Press translations of the Qur'an, based on over 30 years of rigorous scholarship, Professor Muhammad Abdel Haleem sought to make, "the Qur'an accessible to everyone who speaks English". Numerous accolades, including membership of the Arabic language Academy in Cairo, approval of his 2010 translation by Al-Azhar University, sales of 250,000+ copies and his receipt of hundreds of laudatory messages from readers around the world attest to both the faithfulness of his translation and its accessibility to a wide readership. Abdel Haleem has contributed substantially to interfaith understanding through his translations and interpretations and assisted interfaith dialogue globally.

Submitting Institution

School of Oriental & African Studies

Unit of Assessment

Area Studies

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies
Philosophy and Religious Studies: Religion and Religious Studies

Case Study 1: Innovative computational linguistic technologies for language service providers

Summary of the impact

Building on their groundbreaking research and collaborative networks, Babych and Sharoff have developed a range of language technologies which now reach major corporations, small specialist businesses, a large industrial consortium, and agencies of the EU and UN. Their translation tools have had significant industrial impact by improving efficiency, consistency and user experience, and leveraging existing data collections for new purposes. In terms of policy, the research has re-shaped attitudes toward the ownership of data by demonstrating the commercial value of pooling resources. Individual translators have also benefitted from these technologies and related CPD courses, helping them to improve document flow, terminology and translation activities.

Submitting Institution

University of Leeds

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, Information Systems
Language, Communication and Culture: Linguistics

Transforming EU policy and practice in translator training by defining translation competence

Summary of the impact

Since 1993, Professor Schäffner's work on translation competence development at Aston University has contributed to policy development within the European Commission and has led to an increased professionalisation of translator training across Europe. Specifically, it has helped generate a translator competence profile, adopted by the Directorate General for Translation as a benchmark for admitting postgraduate translation programmes to the European Master's in Translation (EMT) network. The DGT's overall aim is to improve the competence of translators and thus the quality of translation. Of about 500 programmes which exist across Europe, 54 have so far been admitted to the EMT network.

Submitting Institution

Aston University

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Education: Curriculum and Pedagogy, Specialist Studies In Education

Improved mediation outcomes through an enhanced understanding of the cultural aspects of translation and interpretation

Summary of the impact

A series of cross-sectoral workshops brought together for the first time professional mediators and translators with academics to share knowledge and experience of the cultural aspects of mediation. The workshops addressed the question of how better outcomes might be brought about through a deeper understanding of the significance of cultural differences in the mediation process. The knowledge shared in the workshops materially changed practice in three global mediation organisations. In doing so it has begun to bring about a transformation in relation to translation and the cultural challenges in the process of conflict resolution across borders.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Linguistics, Literary Studies

Mexican Poetry on Tour

Summary of the impact

This case study demonstrates how translation has fostered engagement between contemporary Latin American poetry and British audiences using the agency of arts organizations, public events and the media. In April 2010 Boll brought two Mexican poets, Coral Bracho and David Huerta, to participate in a national tour with the Poetry Translation Centre (PTC), funded by Arts Council England. Boll applied critical perspectives from cultural, philosophical and stylistic investigation to the selection, translation and presentation of the poets. Comments from readers and listeners demonstrate that the work has sparked a creative response among audiences who range from secondary school pupils to practising poets.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies

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