In Other Words: Translations as Joy and Struggle
Submission Type
20-minute Presentation
Abstract
An online magazine of works written and translated by multilingual students, faculty, staff, and alumnae fosters diversity and inclusion by creating space for cross-linguistic exchange. The act of translation enhances critical thinking, continued language development, close reading, and analytic skills. The online format encourages re-thinking and makes post-publication revision possible. Employment of multiple languages connects non-English speaking friends and families with the academic lives of students and recognizes the assets multilingual students bring to the Bryn Mawr College community.
Start Date
7-20-2020 3:00 PM
End Date
7-20-2020 3:20 PM
Description
Goals
The primary goal for this session is to encourage participants to consider the usefulness of translation and online publication to de-center English as the default means of communication both inside and outside the classroom, to create a welcoming, inclusive space for multilingual international, immigrant, and heritage language speakers, and to assist students in developing analytic and linguistic skills.
Many US colleges and universities, claiming the “internationalized” label, recruit heavily from countries in which English is not the primary or official language. Often this means only that students from those countries are invited to put aside their authentic identities and perform as pseudo-Americans during their college careers. This silencing of their voices creates isolation, both from their home cultures and from their college community. In addition, it inhibits performance and masks their true abilities. This dislocation of identity is even more pronounced among refugee and migrant students. An online magazine focused on composing and translating student works in multiple languages provides an opportunity to celebrate students’ multilingualism as a personal, social and academic asset. The broad audience made possible by online publication presents an opportunity for real world communication beyond coursework, which is often written for an audience of one.
Expected outcomes
Participants will:
identify ways in which they might make use of online translation to celebrate diversity and create inclusion in their classrooms and institutions.
Identify possible barriers to success and resources for overcoming them.
Outline of activities
Introduction, genesis of project, project team members (3 minutes)
Demonstration of In Other Words: Bryn Mawr in Translation website (7 minutes)
Problems and solutions (3 minutes)
Discussion—”In what ways might I …" (7 minutes)
Plan for interaction
Participants will discuss ways in which they might employ online publication of translation in their settings.
In Other Words: Translations as Joy and Struggle
An online magazine of works written and translated by multilingual students, faculty, staff, and alumnae fosters diversity and inclusion by creating space for cross-linguistic exchange. The act of translation enhances critical thinking, continued language development, close reading, and analytic skills. The online format encourages re-thinking and makes post-publication revision possible. Employment of multiple languages connects non-English speaking friends and families with the academic lives of students and recognizes the assets multilingual students bring to the Bryn Mawr College community.