InDialog 4 / ENPSIT
ENPSIT is delighted to announce InDialog 4 which will be held in Ghent on 18 & 19 September 2023 and will be hosted by Ghent University.
Theme: Multiplicity in public service interpreting and translation
Continuing the initiative of the past three conferences in the series, InDialog 4 wants to further explore current practices in public service interpreting and translation (PSIT). The conference will focus specifically on the plethora of PSIT practices and perspectives through the lens of multiplicity.
Multiplicity can be understood in many ways. It can refer to contexts: while PSIT is well-established in hospitals, courts, police stations, prisons or reception centres – to name but a few –, PSIT is also needed in less common situations, such as refugee camps, war zones, domestic violence or human trafficking services. Multiplicity applies to the multi-faceted nature of PSIT, involving different types of translation, modes of interpreting (consecutive, simultaneous, sight translation) and language modalities (spoken and signed language). Multiplicity also concerns the professional status of those involved in PSIT: mismatches in supply and demand may lead to situations where professionals work side by side – or together with – non-professionals, uncertified language assistants or untrained community representatives. Multiplicity is also present in training trajectories: workplace learning, interprofessional learning, blended learning or learning through virtual reality are but some of the many methods that have innovated and complemented our teaching practices over the last decade. Multiplicity applies to research methods and approaches used in interpreting and translation studies, including both quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods approaches. Multiplicity is also characteristic of how we use technologies as PSIT support tools, ranging from computer-assisted translation technology, over machine translation systems, Instant Messaging technology, video conferencing technology to (digital) specialised language resources. Finally, multiplicity also relates to the varying degrees of access in changing migration patterns: what role can PSIT play along the trajectory of migrants and refugees, as they are leaving their home country, pass transit countries and eventually reach their country of destination?
