Pixel International Conferences

At a time when the digital space is taking primacy over the non-digital one in many scientific disciplines, Translation Studies is expressing both a strong tendency and a general need for interdisciplinary research within the digital space as well [1]. The digital space presupposes that translation can take new directions – moving not only from the translator to the recipient, but the other way around as well [2], or as will be presented here, even from recipient to recipient. In this paper we shall present the trend of fan translation [3], [4], [5] with the aim to draw attention to the necessity to investigate this form of translation further as it may be beneficial to all stakeholders in translation, i.e. researchers, practitioners and representatives in the translation industry at large, in particular to translation trainees. We shall present the results of the analysis of the applicability of fan translation in the domain of translation training based on which we shall provide a list of potential pedagogical implications of this trend for translation trainees in the digital space [6]. The analysis and the subsequent conclusions will draw attention to the necessity of including fan translation in the curricula and/or syllabi of translation training programmes and/or courses which will enable the application of fan translation in a context beyond the entertainment industry where it currently occurs.

Keywords: Fan translation, digital space, pedagogical implications, translation training. 

References:

1. M. Ožbot, “Translation studies – Interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary?” Meta, vol. 60, issue 2, pp. 360–360, 2015.
2. Y. Gambier, “Rapid and radical changes in translation and Translation Studies,” International Journal of Communications, vol. 10, pp. 887–906, 2016.
3. M. O’Hagan, “Evolution of user-generated translation: Fansubs, translation hacking and crowdsourcing,” The Journal of Internationalization and Localization, vol. 1, pp. 94–121, 2009.
4. M. O’Hagan, “Game localisation as software-mediated cultural experience: Shedding light on the changing role of translation in intercultural communication in the digital age,” Multilingua, vol. 34, issue 6, pp. 747–771, 2015.
5. M. O'Hagan. “Deconstructing translation crowdsourcing with the case of a Facebook initiative: A translation network of engineered autonomy and trust?” in Human Issues in Translation Technology, D. Kenny, Ed. London and New York: Routledge, 2017, pp. 25–44.
6. M. Tennent, Training for the New Millennium: Pedagogies for Translation and Interpreting, Vol. 60. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing, 2005.