Paratexts and the (re)construction of the translation field: A Case Study of the Bible in Arabic

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A webinar with guest speaker Dr Sameh Hanna (United Bible Societies and Leeds University), as part of the Transnational Cultural and Visual Studies.

Abstract
Paratexts and the (re)construction of the translation field: A Case Study of the Bible in Arabic Using Bourdieu’s ‘field theory’ and Gerard Genette’s theorisation on paratextuality, this talk will explore the implications of paratextual analysis for (re)constructing any given translation field. The history of the Arabic translations of the Bible, a complex field that defies any conclusive (re)construction, demonstrates the crucial role played by paratexts in mediating the agency of the translator, delineating the target audience, and pinpointing the power dynamics involved in the production and dissemination of Bible translation. The mediating function of translation paratexts between text and context, the translator’s agency and the field structure and dynamics will be illustrated through examples from the history of the Arabic translations of the Bible.

Biography
Upon completing his PhD on the sociology of translation at University of Manchester in 2006, Sameh Hanna joined University College London as an Andrew Mellon Post-doctoral Fellow, contributing research and teaching in postgraduate programmes in translation studies. He later obtained lectureships at the universities of Salford and Leeds. In Leeds, he was the director of Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies until 2020. Currently, he is a Bible translation consultant with United Bible Societies, a research fellow at the university of Leeds and a visiting faculty at the Nida School of Translation Studies. Sameh is a founding member of the International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies (IATIS) and he co-edited its journal, New Voices in Translation Studies, for a number of years. Recently, Sameh has assumed an associate editorship of the academic journal Target. In addition to a number of journal articles, chapters in edited volumes, he published his monograph, Bourdieu in Translation Studies: The Dynamics of Shakespeare Translation in Egypt (2016) and co-edited The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Translation (2020) with Routledge. Currently, Sameh is writing a monograph on the social history of Bible translation in Arabic.

Simultaneous Translation
The event will be delivered in the medium of English. You are welcome to ask questions in the medium of Welsh during the Q&A session. If you intend to do this, please contact mlang-events@cardiff.ac.uk by Thursday 4 March to request simultaneous translation. Please note that 10% or more of those planning to attend will need to request this provision in order for it to be sourced and will be subject to resource availability.

Registration
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Recording of Event
Please note this event will be recorded.