MTM - A translation journal

minor translating major - major translating minor - minor translating minor

By the term minor language we mean either a language of limited diffusion or a language of intermediate diffusion compared to a major language or language of unlimited diffusion. By the term major language we mean either a language of unlimited diffusion such as English or a language that enjoys major status within a state where other, officially recognised minor languages are also spoken (e.g. Finnish as official language in Finland compared to Swedish). MTM will be published provisionally as one volume per year. The first volume is scheduled to appear on November 2009. Contributions are welcome in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. All articles must be accompanied by an Abstract of about 200 words in English. General Editor Michael Cronin, Dublin City University, Ireland Editors Anastasia Parianou, Ionian University, Greece Panayotis I. Kelandrias, Ionian University, Greece Editorial Board Jan Engberg, Århus Business School, Denmark Susanne Göpferich, University of Graz, Austria Sigmund Kvam, Østfold University College, Norway Christina Schäffner, Aston University, U.K. Jürgen Schopp, University of Tampere, Finland International Advisory Board Elif Daldeniz, Okan University, Turkey Birgitta Englund Dimitrova, University of Stockholm, Sweden Cornelia Feyrer, University of Innsbruck, Austria Maurizio Gotti, University of Bergamo, Italy Marianne Grove Ditlevsen, Århus Business School, Denmark Ada Gruntar Jermol, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Zuzana Jettmarová, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic Vladimir Karabalic, University of Osijek, Croatia Eleni Kassapi, University of Thessaloniki, Greece Jorghos Kentrotis, Ionian University, Greece Kinga Klaudy, ELTE University of Budapest, Hungary Luise Liefländer-Leskinen, University of Joensuu, Finland Anneliese Pitz, University of Oslo, Norway Marisa Presas, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain Valda Rudziša, Ventspils University College, Latvia Antin Rydning, Østfold University College, Norway Maria Sidiropoulou, University of Athens, Greece Mary Snell-Hornby, University of Vienna, Austria Kåre Solfjeld, Østfold University College, Norway Aims and scope To explore what is a major, what a minor language and how this difference becomes evident in translation. To look for similarities between major and minor languages in translation. To investigate issues related to language superiority/inferiority and language attitude; to explore the emotional, affective, cognitive etc. nature of the prestige loss for former major languages and/or today's minor languages. To explore the similarities and differences that arise when translating from a major language to a minor one and vice versa. To explore the particularities of minor-minor translation. To investigate minor LSP and terminology issues when translating from a major language. To investigate power relationships between major and minor languages and to explore language and translation policies in respect of major and minor languages and/or in multilingual countries. To encourage the elaboration of theoretical thinking on minor translation issues. To investigate the status of former major languages (languages of intermediate diffusion) within translation from a major language and into minor ones. To investigate the position and the possibilities of minor languages within the new global linguistic ecosystem. To investigate the impact of translation within minor language speaking countries and cultures. To shed light on the relations between major and minor languages as well as among minor languages throughout history and see the role that translation has played in the continually changing status of languages. To investigate the sociology of translation and the translator as regards major/minor languages . To explore the consequences of the predominance of international English language in all fields of knowledge. To explore whether and how established concepts and approaches (e.g. functionalism) can help to bring about a more equal status of major/minor languages. It is evident from the above listed aims that the journal welcomes interdisciplinary approaches. In addition to scholars in translation studies we invite scholars from other disciplines that affect translation to participate in the discussion. Such scholars will include people working in literary theory, sociology, philosophy, ethnography, postcolonialism, history and historiography, semiotics, gender studies, cultural studies and related fields. The journal also encourages the elaboration of both joint methodological frameworks and the formulation of translation approaches suitable to the translation particularities of specific language pairs.