Translations

Antonin Artaud, La Bouillabaisse de formes dans la tour de Babel (I know! It's French, arg! but it's a awesome, a reference to our famous local dish and Artaud to boot so you'll forgive me)

Dear Charlie,
I'm sure you're busy enjoying your well-deserved holidays as we all are.
 If you haven't done it yet, if you're around and have a bit of time on your hands (It actually is possible even when you're part of the OIB ;p), I would recommend that you go to the MUCEM to visit the exhibit "After Babel, Translate". You have until March 20.
http://www.mucem.org/en/exposition/4826

As a linguist and literature teacher teaching "Translations", I've been meaning to go for ages and finally got around to it. I was considering taking the students to see it but we're  a bit short on time with the program so it ends up being only a recommendation for a personal outing.

If you do go, just like in Friel's play, the exhibit will show you translation as a clear political act and its impact on identity and culture. You will see  language, culture, identity linked, truth, reliability and meaning being questioned.

I'm sure many of you will appreciate reading the different translations of the Raven, especially if you speak Spanish too, noting the common points and differences and the complex relationship between translation and poetic language. On that note, make sure you do not miss the tribute to Getrud Stein's " a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose"

You might like me spend quite some time in front of the  Pioneer plaque, trying to decipher it, loving the fun diagram of the solar sytem and of the little spaceshift but wondering whether the symbols chosen to represent the human species and our world were truly representative to and of us.

You could also  dwell lengthily under the screen broadcasting  different versions of sign language  and translations of the same word ( I actually had not realized there were so many national sign languages and so many differences between them) pondering on sign language and body language as a whole and how it reflects the psychology of a society and/or particular individuals.

To finish this is my favorite piece of the exhibit. It's so big, colorful and represents so well many instances of communication in fiction and real life and the challenge of translation and possibly what some students may think of school and literature class in particular (But surely NOT!)

See you later,
Mrs. C.