‘Romani interpreters have to know more than one dialect if they’re going to get the whole true meaning’.
Concordia University gathered the greatest Romani scholars and academics of Romani language, translation and interpreting studies from all over the world at the first ever Romani Translation Summer Institute from June 19th to July 2nd 2023 in Montreal.
A year after the gathering, we are now releasing some of the footage from the amazing lectures given last year.
Just to highlight the depth of discussion required regarding Romani language translation, in this video Professor Ian Hancock is looking at the use of a couple of Romani words with a particular focus on the word ‘PHUKER’ which is also spelled as ‘POOKER’ in Anglo-Romani. Dr Hristo Kyuchyukov, Romani language professor and Orhan Galjus, Romani journalist translating Romani language and its variants for four decades, are also making a contribution.
We are sharing further snippets of lectures by Romani scholars such as Ian Hancock, Hristo Kyuchukov and Hedina Sijercic. Exciting panel discussions at 4th Space of Concordia University will also be published, so keep checking back for more!
Call to all Romani language translators and interpreters’! Know Romani interpreters/translators? Tell them!
Participants of the Roma Translation Sumer Institute call all Romani interpreters and translators to join them in bringing Romani voices in the academic discussions to foster the professionalization of Romani translation and interpreting.
We take pride in the wealth of Romani language variants and our goal is to relay diverse voices from the wide array of Romani dialects in scholarly discussions.
We are inviting all translators of Romani communities to take part in Concordia University’s research by filling in this questionnaire : https://concordia.yul1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ehru66sX4QZHDCe It shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes. Find more details about the survey and the research on the page. Participation in the survey is anonymous. Questions can be directed to Professor Debbie Folaron (contact details can be found on the page).
Researchers will select a few participants for semi-structured interviews.
If you are interested in being interviewed and/or in joining the community of Romani scholars with the aim to professionalize Romani translation and interpreting, please message juice at kaskosan dot org with the following details: (1) your name (2) language pairs and directions (3) years of experience (4) place of residence (5) contact details.
Attendees of the first ever Romani Translation Summer Institute organized by Concordia University in Montreal, June 19 to July 2 2023
Debbie Folaron, the associate professor in the Département d ’études françaises and Jean Monnet Chair, organizer of the Romani Translation Summer Institute as well as the lead researcher in the Translating Romani Voices project.
Hristo Kyuchukov, Professor of Linguistics and a leading specialist in the field of Romani language and education of Roma children in Europe
Hedina Sijercic, Romani linguistic researcher and teacher, journalist, broadcaster, writer and translator