Literary Translation Clinics

What Does It Take to Translate the Intangible?

Thursday, 7:00 pm EDT December 16, 2021

Online via Zoom

A monthly series of knowledge-sharing open sessions for literary translators and appreciators of translated works from all backgrounds and experience levels.

Much of what translators work on doesn’t involve “meaning” in the dictionary sense. How do practitioners handle intangibles like rhyme, alliteration and assonance, naturalness, concision, and other elements of both poetic and prose texts? The lyrical force and emotional impact of many texts require acrobatic feats to successfully exist in multiple languages. Kareem James Abu-Zeid and Alta L. Price will explore approaches to prioritizing what’s most important when honing the vision for your translation.

The Literary Translation Clinics are held monthly and hosted by members of the translator collective, Cedilla & Co. Each one-hour clinic will feature a presentation or conversation followed by a Q&A. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions from their own practice.

In Conversation

Kareem James Abu-Zeid

Kareem James Abu-Zeid

Kareem James Abu-Zeid, PhD, is a translator of authors from across the Arab world who translates from Arabic, French, and German. His work has earned him an NEA translation grant, PEN Center USA’s Translation Award, Poetry magazine’s translation prize, residencies from the Lannan Foundation and the Banff Centre, a Fulbright Fellowship (Germany), and a CASA Fellowship (Egypt), among other honors. His most recent translation is Najwan Darwish’s Exhausted on the Cross (NYRB Poets, 2021). He is also the author of The Poetics of Adonis and Yves Bonnefoy: Poetry as Spiritual Practice. The online hub for his work is www.kareemjamesabuzeid.com.
Alta L. Price

Alta L. Price

Alta L. Price runs a publishing consultancy specialized in literature and nonfiction texts on art, architecture, design, and culture. A recipient of the Gutekunst Prize, she translates from Italian and German into English. Her translation of Juli Zeh’s novel New Year (World Editions, 2021) came out last month, and her forthcoming translations include Mithu Sanyal’s novel Identitti (Astra House, 2022).

Photo Credit: Donnelly Marks

About Our Series Partner

Cedilla & Co. is a collective of literary translators who pool their knowledge and resources in support of translations and translators.

About this series

Literary Translation Clinics

Hosted by innovative literary translators with members of the Cedilla & Co. translators collective, each one-hour installment features a presentation or conversation followed by a Q&A with attendees. Topics range from questions and theories of craft to submissions, contracts, and other practical concerns, always with an eye to literary translation as a profession.

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