In chapter six of the British Harry Potter, “Mom” (US edition) reads as “Mum” (UK edition). Both these publications are written in English but the publisher must consider the culture-appropriate slang used in each region. It is attention to these details that makes a good translation. Translators take into account the humor, brevity, and tone of an author while making adjustments to ensure that meaning, style, and culture are conveyed between two languages.
Join translator Alex Zucker, winner of an English PEN Award for Writing in Translation and the ALTA National Translation Award, and Fluent City teacher Julia Livi, author of the bilingual children’s book series “Voltaire: The Franco-American Hipster Dog,” for a lively discussion on how the intended reader of a book, blog or article shapes the words that land on a page.
PANELISTS
Alex Zucker has translated novels by Czech authors Jáchym Topol, Miloslava Holubová, Petra Hůlová, and Patrik Ouředník. In 2014 he did new subtitles for the digitally restored version of Closely Watched Trains, the 1966 Czechoslovak New Wave classic based on the Bohumil Hrabal novella. His translation of Heda Margolius Kovály’s Innocence, or, Murder on Steep Street will be out from Soho Press in 2015. Alex lives in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Visit his website, alexjzucker.com.
Julia Livi is the author and illustrator of bilingual book series "Voltaire the Franco-American Hipster Dog" (www.voltairelivi.com). Julia has a Masters Degree in Arts Education and spent two years teaching juvenile males at Rikers Island Correctional Facility before transitioning to a full time visual arts teaching position at a New York middle school. A Fluent City French teacher, Julia has combined her love of art and French by producing her own bilingual series for kids along with accompanying daily flashcards for adult French learners.
Event hosted by Fluent City, an awesome afterwork language program for adults. Get started learning French, Spanish or 8 other languages. Visit www.fluentcity.com to see upcoming classes.
