The status of translations in book collections from the early modern period to the present Workshop (online) 18 November 2021 Utrecht University / University of Jyväskylä
Thursday 18 November
15:00-17:00 CET Online
Chair Jakub Kujawiński, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań/Lamemoli
Organization Annet den Haan, Utrecht University
Contact :For registration and further details, contact [email protected]
While the practice of making and using translations is common to all textual cultures, the status of translations compared to original compositions differs from case to case. A translation can be instrumental to understanding the original, or be a literary work in its own right; it can function as a replacement of the source text, or as a supplement. In some cases, making a translation is an act of creative genius, whereas in others, it is a mechanical routine task. These differences in status do not only depend on the texts or the persons involved, but also on the literary and intellectual context.
This workshop approaches the status of translations as opposed to original compositions by exploring how they function in the context of a library. The word ‘library’ is understood here in a broad sense as ‘an organized set of texts’: it refers to a collection of books owned by an individual or an institution, as well as a series of titles selected by an editor, publisher or printer. The aim of the workshop is to bring together case studies of different libraries, in order to identify common themes, arguments, and practices, as well as to problematize how the status of translations within libraries differs across periods, regions, and cultures.
