Date: 23-24 April 2010

Venue: University of Helsinki, Finland

Name of Event: VIII Symposium on translation and interpreting

More Information:

The KÄTU symposium is an annual meeting point for translation scholars and professionals. The theme of this eighth symposium to be held at the University of Helsinki is research methodology.

The organizational changes in the University of Helsinki, where departments have been reorganized and teaching relocated also geographically, make this a good time to return to the fundamental issues of Translation Studies and seek some solid common ground in these new circumstances.

We invite translators, interpreters, translator and interpreter trainers and researchers to give presentations at the symposium. The symposium offers a forum to discuss and explore the ways in which translation and interpretation can be studied fruitfully both within the discipline and in interdisciplinary projects. Traditional research methods have in recent years been complemented by new ways of studying interlingual communication, and, at the same time, interdisciplinary research projects have brought in new methods.

The development offers challenges regarding the comparability of results and the accumulation of knowledge. Yet the new perspectives can add more dimensions to our understanding. As always, papers on other issues are also welcome.

Background

KÄTU symposia are organized yearly. They are intended as a Finnish forum for researchers and practitioners to exchange ideas and discuss developments in the field, present on-going research and survey the state and status of Translation Studies. A particular focus is on giving PhD students a platform to present their work and get feedback.

The symposium tradition was initiated in a one-day seminar organized by PhD students in Vaasa in 2002. Since then it has been organized annually. The local organizer is, in rotating order, one of the translator training institutions, and the permanent organizer is the Teachers' and Researchers' Section of the Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters (SKTL).

Outline

There are two main speakers at each symposium. In 2010 they will be Professor Gyde Hansen, Copenhagen Business School, and Professor Andrew Chesterman, University of Helsinki. In addition to the plenary lectures, there will be presentations in parallel sections as well as an exhibition of posters, books and projects. The section papers last 20 + 10 minutes. The workshops last for 2 hours, during which there can be general discussion, a panel discussion on a particular theme, or some problematic issue can be examined by the participants.

We would like to have suggestions for workshop themes and for section papers by 31 January 2009. Proposals (no more than 400 words) can be sent on the internet form at the following address https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/17464/lomake.html. Information about approval of section papers will be sent by 28 February 2009.

Symposium Languages

Finnish, Swedish and English are the primary working languages at the symposium and its sections. Contact the organizers for information about using other languages and the availability of interpreting services.

Publication

After the symposium an electronic publication, MikaEL, will appear, to which people presenting papers at the symposium may send their articles. Information concerning writing instructions and publication editors will be given during the symposium at the latest.

Contact Details

A second circular with information about registration, fees, accommodation and other practical matters will appear in December 2009. Kindly use the email address katu-2010@helsinki.fi for all correspondence about the symposium.

Organizers

The Kätu2010 symposium is being organized by University of Helsinki and the Teachers'

and Researchers' Section of the Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters. The following are members of the organizing committee:

University of Helsinki

Marjut Alho

Andrew Chesterman

Ritva Hartama-Heinonen

Raila Hekkanen

Pirjo Kukkonen

Sini-Tuulia Lehtinen

Annikki Liimatainen

Outi Paloposki

Svetlana Probirskaja

Meri Päivärinne (chair)

Teachers' and Researchers' Section

Leena Salmi, University of Turku

Mona Enell-Nilsson, University of Vaasa

Ritva Hartama-Heinonen, University of Helsinki

Kaisa Koskinen, University of Tampere

Minna Kumpulainen, University of Joensuu

Outi Paloposki, University of Helsinki