Thursday 12 March 2015

Public lecture: Performativity in Amateur Audio-visual Translation

Centre for Translation Studies – CenTraS
@UCL

Dr Luis Perez-Gonzales, University of Manchester, UK.
Performativity in Amateur Audio-visual Translation

Date: Tuesday, 17th March 2015
Time:  4-5 pm
Location:  Medawar G01 Lankester LT, Gower Str, London, WC1E 6BT


Talk outlineOver the last decade, the proliferation of self-mediated textualities has empowered collectivities of non-professional translators to engage in participatory subtitling practices. These new modes of engaged subtitling agency are often part of a movement of aesthetic or political resistance against global capitalist structures and institutions through interventionist forms of translation, whether for aesthetic or political reasons. Significantly, the strategies of mediation deployed by amateur subtitlers are not always bound by loyalty to the linguistic rationalism of screen characters or allegiance to traditional pragmatic principles of interpersonal communication. Drawing on a range of examples, this presentation will illustrate how affectivity emerges as a powerful non-representational variable in amateur mediation, where subtitles performatively intervene in the articulation and reception of the filmic semiotic ensemble as it unfolds, rather than being simply static superimposed signifiers. Against this backdrop, non-representational theory, originally developed within the field of human geography, would appear to be well positioned to supply the conceptual network required to account for this expressive or transformational role of amateur subtitling.

Biography Luis Pérez-González is Co-Director of the Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies at the University of Manchester and author of Audiovisual Translation: Theories, Methods and Issues (Routledge 2014). Former editor of The Interpreter and Translator Trainer journal (St Jerome Publishing), he has recently guest edited special issues of The Journal of Language and Politics 11(2) (Translation and the Genealogy of Conflict, 2012) and The Translator 18(2) (Non-professionals Translating and Interpreting: Participatory and Engaged Perspectives, 2012, with Şebnem Susam-Saraeva). He has acted as a consultant for the European Agency for Reconstruction, the European Commission and Qatar Foundation/Hamad bin Khalifa University (Doha).

Thursday 18 December 2014

Teaching translation through editing Wikipedia

Teaching translation through editing Wikipedia

Earlier this term UCL Centre for Translation Studies  (CenTraS) held an event to learn how to contribute to Wikipedia, the encyclopedia anyone can edit. These kinds of events are known as ‘editathons’ – this one was called a ‘translatathon’ because it involved 36 postgraduate translation studies students, all new to editing Wikipedia, translating English women’s health articles into several different target languages. The event was jointly organised by CenTraS’ Rocío Baños Piñero, Wikimedia Gender Gap Project Worker Roberta Wedge, and UCL's E-Learning Environment.

More information can be found through the following blog post.

Saturday 25 October 2014

One-day Professional Courses


Centre for Translation Studies (CenTraS)
University College London
One-day Professional Courses
2014/15
Open to professionals and students
Limited places available
 
Introduction to Website Localisation 15 November 2014
 
Post-Editing for Translators 22 November 2014
 
Introduction to Subtitling 6 December 2014
 
Interpreting and Technology 24 January 2015
 
Advanced Subtitling 7 February 2015
 
Project Management for Translators 28 February 2015
 
Introduction to Dubbing 7 March 2015
 
Introduction to memoQ 14 March 2015
 
Introduction to Trados Studio 2014 21 March 2015
 
Introduction to Audio Description 25 April 2015
 
Subtitling for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing 9 May 2015
 
 

Wednesday 10 September 2014

IV International Conference Translating Voices, Translating Regions, Conference Series

The newly formed Mediating Emergencies Group organizes the

IV International conference Translating Voices, Translating Regions. Mediating Emergencies: Intercultural Mediation in Extreme Conditions

 *** NEW Venue *** 
CenTraS, University College London, UK
Dates: 3 –4 October 2014

Key Themes


  •     What happens to medical translation and public service interpreting in such circumstances?
  •     Which interpreting and translating systems are different international organizations using?
  •     Who is researching technologies to support in these events?
  •     Who is training interpreters and translators to actively support rescue teams and NGOs in      these circumstances?
  •     What training is needed for these occasions?
  •     What type of data needs immediate handling in interpreting emergencies?
  •     What technological support do interpreters and translator need?
  •     Can we model or simulate contingency plans that aid those who have to provide interlingual communication?

Invited Speakers

  •     Erik Hertog, Lessius University College, Antwerp, Belgium
  •     Barbara Moser-Mercer, Université de Genève, Switzerland
  •     Yasuhide Nakamura, Osaka University, Japan
  •     Christina Schäffner, Aston University, Birmingham, UK

Roundtable Speakers

  •     Piet Verleysen, Director for Resources in DGT, European Commission, Belgium
  •     Brian Fox, Director for Provision of Interpretation, European Commission, Belgium
  •     Michael Kelly, University of Southampton, UK
  •     Noël Muylle, Honorary Director-General, European Commission, Belgium
  •     Alexander Perkins, Campaigner for Military Interpreters, UK

Registration & Payment

Registration fee: £175 GBP (two days) - £200 GBP after 30 August

Registration fees will be payable by credit or debit card on the University Online Store. The event will be listed under Conferences and Events.

For queries regarding payment contact Helle Hylleberg h.hylleberg@ucl.acl.uk

Online Course in Cloud-based Translation Tools

Cloud-based Translation Tools

 
Centras, the Translation Unit at UCL, organises an online course in cloud-based translation tools.


Duration

The course lasts 11 weeks and is normally offered twice per year. The next course will be:
Monday 6th October - Friday 19th December 2014
 


Tuition fees

The course fees are: £725
 


Background

Cloud-computing is gaining its own place within the translation industry creating new needs and requirements for client-companies and translation agencies. Translators are expected to have the relevant skills to use software that is based on the cloud while project managers are gradually requested to centralise the management process through browsers that support systems whose aim is to provide as much features as possible to facilitate the whole translation process.

Tools

Two of the most dominant cloud-based translation solutions are used in this course to train translators, project managers and students with mixed backgrounds to the new reality of the translation industry.

XTM Cloud is a versatile solution that allows translation, update and localisation of large volumes of content. XTM is provided in the form of a suite or as a standalone cloud-based system for freelancers or larger groups, facilitating easy access and collaboration through a secure and robust platform. The software has been provided on the cloud since 2010 featuring partnerships with various translation management systems, like Plunet, machine translation systems, such as KantanMT, and multipurpose language platforms, like Microsoft Translator.

Memsource Cloud was launched in 2011 and provides a complete translation environment that supports various file types within a user-friendly interface. With real-time monitoring of all steps included in the translation process, project managers can benefit from this centralised environment. The software is available for businesses as well as translators. It incorporates an offline editor and various features, while it supports a number of machine translation plug-ins, including those provided by Systran and Moravia.

All licenses used in this course are kindly provided to the Centre of Translation Studies for the purposes of the specific course, under academic/university schemes.

Content

The course has been designed based on two main principles: practice and interaction. You will be provided with material covering various aspects of translation technology throughout the course, as well as guides designed specifically for translators and project managers, and focus will be placed on all the stages of a translation process. Every week will have a specific objective and you will be asked to complete tasks to reinforce the knowledge of the software. Online group meetings will be arranged, while you will also have access to training videos prepared for the needs of the particular course.

Topics

The course covers the following topics:
  •     Overview of cloud-based computing and translation technology
  •     Translation components and compatibility
  •     Translation process, project workflow and management on Memsource and XTM

Who should attend?

The course is ideal for translators and project managers who want to enter the world of cloud-based translation technologies. It is intended for freelancers, in-house translators as well as students and teachers of translation. Although most of the tasks inevitably involve practice in each participant's language pair, there will be no assessment of translation output since the aim of the course is to learn how to use the technologies. You must have a good knowledge of English and a high level of computer competence.
Certificate of completion

You will receive a certificate of completion provided that you have completed the tasks assigned throughout the course.
Application

Please download and complete the application form (Word).
Email your application form, together with your CV, to Emmanouela Patiniotaki.

Please write "Online Course in Cloud-Based Translation Tools" in the subject line of your message.

The application deadline is Monday, 22nd September 2014.
 

Payment and cancellations

All payments must be made in Sterling by debit or credit card visiting the University Online Store. The course will be listed under Conferences and Events > Centre for Translation Studies.

Please read applicable Terms and Conditions.

Further information

To register your interest for the online course in cloud-based translation tools and for any enquiries, please contact the Course Tutor, Emmanouela Patiniotaki.

Email: e.patiniotaki@ucl.ac.uk

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Online Courses in Localisation and Subtitling



Centre for Translation Studies (CenTraS) @ UCL is offering two 11-week interactive online courses
The courses are designed to provide a detailed overview of the professional practices of Localisation and Subtitling as well as the mechanics of the industry.
Both courses start on 22nd September 2014.

Monday 12 May 2014

Multimedia Translation in the Digital Age


Multimedia Translation in the Digital Age
 
Wednesday, 21st May 2014
Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU
5.30-8.30 pm
 

The explosion of information brought about by the Internet in the 1990s has revolutionised the translation industry. 

Online technology and web developments keep on having a profound impact on translation: a substantial amount of content needing translation is now multimedia and new trends such as crowdsourcing and cloud-based translation technology are gaining ground in the industry. 

The video game industry is one of the most profitable ones and amateur practices such as fansubbing and fandubbing are gaining greater visibility and having a marked impact on the way the industry operates. 

Organisations and institutions worldwide are now realising the importance of web accessibility not only for financial gain but also for inclusion. 

These new online developments make it necessary to rethink not only translation processes but also the training provided to future translators

This free event, open to the public, investigates the challenges of multimedia translation and the impact of new online technologies on the translation industry, accessibility policies, and translation training.


Organisers: Europe House and Centre for Translation Studies (CenTraS) @ UCL
Panellists: Miguel Á. Bernal-Merino, Jorge Díaz-Cintas, Kim Harris and Minako O'Hagan.

This event is free to the public, but booking is essential. Please contact:

 

Monday 5 May 2014

The challenge of video game localisation


Centre for Translation Studies
CenTraS
Dr Miguel Á. Bernal-Merino, University of Roehampton, London
The challenge of video game localisation
Tuesday, 6th May 2014
5-6 pm
Date: Time:
Location: Medawar G01 Lankester LT (map: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps?locationID=96) 
Talk outline:  The phenomenon of the video game industry has been growing steadily in size and relevance in many countries around the world. The astonishing variety and global reach of these entertainment products as both individual and group activities have finally removed the stigma of playing video games as well as taken the crown as preferred leisure activity for great sections of the population. Understanding current game localisation processes is essential to appreciate the complexity of the task and the role that translation has played in this meteoric ascent. The translation of multimedia interactive entertainment software does have things in common with other multichannel products, but the intrinsic interactivity of software and the mantra of immersion demand maximum playability in all languages, affecting the game design and production like no other product before. A true challenge worth learning about for all language professionals.

Biography: Dr. Miguel Á. Bernal-Merino is a lecturer in video game localisation and audiovisual translation at the University of Roehampton in London. He is cofounder and chair of the Localization Special Interest Group (SIG) within the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). He advises the Game Developers Conference (GDC) coordinating and hosting the game Localization Summit. He also chairs the Game Localization Round Table (GLRT) for Localization World (LW) held both in Europe and the US yearly.

Sunday 27 April 2014

Introduction to memoQ


Centre for Translation Studies (CenTraS)
University College London
 
Introduction to memoQ
3 May 2014
 
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Open to professionals and students.
 
Limited number of places available.
 
This course will introduce you to a new CAT tool that is gradually gaining ground in the translation industry. You will become familiar with the user interface memoQ provides and learn how to use its main functions effectively according to the project you are working on.
 
For more details: Introduction to memoQ 
 
 
 
  
For information on all Translation Technology courses: www.ucl.ac.uk/centras/prof-courses/translation-tech
 
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Monday 17 March 2014

Subtitling for the deaf and the hard of hearing


Subtitling for the deaf and the hard of hearing
22 March 2014
 
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Open to professionals and students.
 
Limited number of places available.
 
The course will start with an introduction to deafness aimed at becoming familiarwith the audience. The specific requirements of subtitling for the deaf and the hard of hearing (SDH) – textual, tone of voice, speaker identification, sound effects – will be highlighted. The conventions and norms in place will be discussed.
An insight into subtitling for deaf children will be presented and issues related to subtitling for young audiences will be discussed.
A state-of-the-art professional subtitling program, WinCAPS, will be used by the participants to carry out subtitling tasks on clips provided by the trainer. This practical part is aimed at introducing technical aspects of subtitling and at gaining an understanding of the potential offered by subtitling programs.
 
 
 
 
  
For information on all Translation Technology courses: www.ucl.ac.uk/centras/prof-courses/translation-tech
 
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Thursday 6 March 2014

Call for Posters: Translation and the Digital: new tools for creativity and communication

UCL will be hosting an interdisciplinary day of seminars and workshops on 25th April, 2014, investigating digital technology in interlingual media and performance alongside digital applications for intercultural literary and historical research. 
 
The organising committee is now issuing a call for poster presentations (attached) that shed light on the themes of the one day event: the relevance of digital technologies to teaching and research across the Arts and Humanities. 
 
Topics for posters can include, but are not limited to:
- the potential of digital databases in literary and linguistic practice
- the use of translation software in interlingual communication in media and performance
- new developments in digital tools for recording and developing artistic endeavour and research
- showcase synergies of skills and experience
- digital resources for interlingual public engagement
- human geography
 
Design and submission of the poster must happen according to the following guidelines:
- Submitted posters must be A3 size but can be portrait or landscape.
- Posters in pdf format should be sent digitally by 10 March 2014 to trans.digital@ucl.ac.uk.
 
Should any media or materials be involved to create the posters, from paint, pens and fabric to photography and graphic design, an A3 copy of the poster should be sent to: Translation & Digital, CenTraS, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (please do not fold your entries, post them to us flat in a large envelope).

Each project, idea or aspect of a poster is contained within one poster only. People can submit more than one project. The closing date for entries is 10 March 2014. Shortlisted entrants will be notified on 17 March 2014.
 
A £50 book token will be awarded as first prize and posters will be on display throughout the day. Deadline for submissions: 10 March 2014. Further details and registration for the day are available on the Higher Education Academy  website: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2014/Seminars/AH/GEN916_UCL
 
The series is funded by the HEA and the UCL Arts & Humanities and Social & Historical Sciences Joint Faculty Institute of Graduate Studies. 
 
For additional inquiries, please contact trans.digital@ucl.ac.uk​

Monday 24 February 2014

Introduction to Dubbing


Centre for Translation Studies (CenTraS)
University College London
 
Introduction to Dubbing
1 March 2014
 
Open to professionals and students.
 
Limited number of places available.
 
After a definition of dubbing, the interaction between text and images will be discussed and you will learn about the technical issues that constrain dubbing in terms of time and space. We will then take a look at the different conventions applied in what is considered standard practice in translation for dubbing: take segmentation, dubbing symbols, lip-syncing and the emulation of oral discourse. All these concepts will be illustrated with examples and clips of dubbings into English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
 
During this practical workshop, you will work with clips and will carry out some of the tasks pertaining to dubbing, like take segmentation (i.e. segmenting the translation according to different national conventions), insertion of dubbing symbols for voice talents, as well as the omnipresent lip-sync according to the constraints imposed by the medium. Windows Movie Maker will help us make a simulated dubbing in the class, so that you can experience the technical and professional dimensions of dubbing.
 
For more details: Introduction to Dubbing
 
 
 
  
For information on all Translation Technology courses: www.ucl.ac.uk/centras/prof-courses/translation-tech
 
 
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Saturday 8 February 2014

Gayspeak and gay subjects in audiovisual translation


Gayspeak and gay subjects in audiovisual translation: strategies in Italian dubbing
Dr Irene RanzatoUniversity of La Sapienza, Roma, Italy
Date: Tuesday, 11th February 2014
Time:  4-5 pm
Location: Medawar G01 Lankester LT (map: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps?locationID=96)
 Address: G01, Medawar Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT
Talk outline:  This talk will provide some insights in the analysis of fictional language of homosexuals as portrayed on the screen, as well as the way in which Italian translators and dubbing adapters have dealt with gayspeak. The words of the gay lexicon in the English and the Italian languages do not cover the same semantic areas and the lack of balance between the two languages in this particular field may create problems for the translator. Various examples from dubbed films and television series in which some of the features of gayspeak are substantially altered will help investigate whether these modifications are due to constraints determined by the vocabulary used to define the idiolect of this speech community or, rather, to overt and covert constraints imposed by a culture, the Italian, which has opened up to homosexual themes much more slowly than the Anglosaxon world.
Biography: Irene Ranzato is a researcher in English language and translation at Sapienza University of Rome, where she teaches audiovisual and intersemiotic translation for BA, MA and Master courses. She has a PhD in Translation Studies (Imperial College London): her research focused on the translation of culture specific references in dubbing for television. She has written extensively on themes related to audiovisual translation: censorship and manipulation in dubbing, culture specific references, the translation of regional and social varieties of English. She is also interested in film and television studies and in theories of adaptation. She has written a book on Tom Stoppard - which analyses his work as a playwright, screenplay writer, translator and adapter – and a book on audiovisual translation.

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Introduction to Audio Description



Introduction to Audio Description
Dr. Joselia Neves

22 February 2014 (10.30am-4.30pm)
Open to professionals and students.

Limited number of places available.

After a definition and a brief introduction to the different types of audio descriptions available, you will be taken through the technical constraints of adding audio description to film, where image, sound and speech need to be perfectly understood in order to be taken into account when an all encompassing aural equivalent (AD) is in order.

You will be given the opportunity to see different approaches to the audio description of film and will be taken through the fundamentals of audio description.

During this practical workshop, you will be given the opportunity to work with different materials that will enhance your image reading skills and give you the basic tools needed to audio describe moving images. 


  
For information on all Translation Technology courses: www.ucl.ac.uk/centras/prof-courses/translation-tech