Exophony: Translating the Already Self-Translated Author

Exophonic writers write in languages other than their first, inhabiting linguistic and cultural spaces that challenge conventional notions of fluency, authority, and belonging. How do exophonic texts negotiate cultural distance and intimacy, and how do they handle asymmetry between languages and their cultural stores? What strategies do writers develop when working across linguistic boundaries, and how might these inform translation practices? How do we translate an original work with multiple linguistic influences or a work that is a cultural hybrid? Panelists will examine exophony as a model of reciprocal exchange, considering how translators engage in linguistic difference as a productive space for creativity, ethics, and sustainable cross-cultural dialogue.

Moderator: Alan Reiser

Panelists: Cynthia Shin, Cooper Gerrard, Susan Bernofsky, Rebecca Weingart