Project Announcement: Translating Anthropology - Bringing Researchers and Translators together

[Stefan Groth]

We are pleased to inform you about the launch of "Translating Anthropology", a new network that aims to bring together researchers and translators. The network can be accessed at

http://translatinganthropology.ning.com/

It is an attempt to connect researchers in anthropology, ethnology, or folklore with translators in a decentralized and open way. While we would consider this project to be a work-in-progress, it is a first step towards providing both an overview and a resource for academics searching for good, reliable, affordable, and available translators. We are thus extremely thankful for comments and critique on how to make this project meet the needs of its targeted audience.

Please feel free to spread this information to your colleagues and interested translators.

Best,
Regina Bendix & Stefan Groth

*** Disclaimer: I very much hope that this announcement is not considered to be a violation of netiquette, as it, in a way, advertises another network on Ning whose audience is partly congruent with that of OAC. Yet, after having considered to simply create a group on OAC we came to the conclusion that this would have been to confusing and not conducive to the task we had in mind with this project. We are nonetheless convinced that this project is of interest to many members of OAC and thus decided to announce it in this forum. If you already have a Ning-Account for OAC, you can simply use it to sign-up to the "Translating Anthropology" network. ***

[Keith Hart]

Regina and Stefan,

This is a very worthwhile enterprise and I have joined your new group. I do a bit of translation from French to English, but I started out as a student of Latin and Greek and have always considered translation to be one of the most important intellectual practices.

As you may know, we have started an OAC Press and spent the weeks before the holidays trying to get a large editorial board to establish priorities and procedures. We took a break, but on the resumption I am sure your initiative will attract attention from the board, since translation is very much on our agenda. The board contains French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Turkish and Norwegian speakers, while about half are principally anglophone.

It is hard to see how the OAC can avoid the issue of translation, yet I believe you were justified in establishing a separate network. I hope that, with overlapping membership, it will prove to be fruitful for the two networks to cooperate.