Project description

"Interpreting and translating in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939"

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Republican government received support from 35,000 international brigadiers from 53 nations. The project focuses on the interpreting and translation activities of the almost completely unexplored question of communication during the Spanish Civil War.

The primary aim of the project is to examine the complex translation activities on the basis of autobiographical reports by interbrigadists in a total of 20 languages and the institutionalized interpreting activities of the translators sent by the Soviet Union on the basis of archival and secondary sources with translation studies questions. With regard to the notorious political and ideological conflicts during the civil war, the project makes a significant contribution to broadening and deepening the related discussion by adding a cultural and linguistic dimension in the context of dealing with its multilingual specifics.

English version

versión española

French version

Русская версия

Project information

Project sponsor: Anniversary Fund of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB)

Project leader: Ao.Univ.-Prof^.in Mag^.a Dr^.in Michaela Wolf

Project number: 17780

Project duration: April 2018 - September 2019

Presentations

Wolf, Michaela "'... The International Brigades were dominated by Babylonian confusion': Communication within the Interbrigades in the Spanish Civil War'.

Lecture given at the Congreso Internacional "La Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939), 80 años después", October 29-30, 2018, Albacete

***

Orlova, Iryna: "Las/los intérpretes soviéticas/os en la guerra civil española: una imagen colectiva".

Lecture given at the Congreso Internacional "La Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939), 80 años después", October 29-30, 2018, Albacete

***

Wolf, Michaela: "Questions of communication in the Spanish BK".

Lecture given as part of the research forum at the Institute for Translation Studies, January 31, 2018

***

Wolf, Michaela: "'Hundred languages, but one will': Interpreting at the International Brigades".

Lecture given at the international symposium "Camaradas. Austrians in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939", October 5-7, 2016, Graz

 

Publications by

Kölbl, Julia (2021) 'So I offered to act as interpreter'. English-speaking volunteers as translators in the Spanish Civil War. Universitas Mitteilungsblatt 21 (2), 24-26

***

Kölbl, Julia (2021) The Babel of Tongues: English-speaking volunteers and their contribution to communication in the Spanish Civil War. Vienna: LIT.

***

Duckstein, Franzisa (2020) "'Le boucher d'Albacète': André Marty and his translators in the political field", in: Kölbl, Julia/Orolova, Iryna/Wolf, Michaela (eds.) ¿Pasarán? Communication in the Spanish Civil War. Interacting in the Spanish Civil War. Vienna/Hamburg: new academic press, 130-145.

***

Kölbl, Julia/Orolova, Iryna/Wolf, Michaela (eds.) ¿Pasarán ? Communication in the Spanish Civil War. Interacting in the Spanish Civil War. Vienna/Hamburg: new academic press.

Kölbl, Julia (2020) "'Girl for everything'? Aileen Palmer as translator and interpreter in the medical units of the Spanish Civil War", in: Kölbl, Julia/Orolova, Iryna/Wolf, Michaela (eds.) ¿Pasarán? Communication in the Spanish Civil War. Interacting in the Spanish Civil War. Vienna/Hamburg: new academic press, 114-129.

***

Orlova, Iryna (2020) "Las etapas de la institucionalización de los/las intérpretes en la guerra civil", in: Kölbl, Julia/Orolova, Iryna/Wolf, Michaela (eds.) ¿Pasarán? Communication in the Spanish Civil War. Interacting in the Spanish Civil War. Vienna/Hamburg: new academic press, 180-193.

Orlova, Iryna (2019a) "La traducción e interpretación institucionalizadas en la guerra civil espanola: el grupo soviético de traductores e intérpretes", in: Trans. Revista de Traductología 23, 51-66.

Orlova, Iryna (2019b) "Las/los intérpretes soviéticas/os en la guerra civil española: una imagen colectiva", in: Hasta pronto, amigos de España. Las Brigadas Internacionales en el 80 aniversario de su despedida de la Guerra civil española. Francisco Alía Miranda, Eduardo Higueras Castañeda, Antonio Selva Iniesta (Eds.) Albacete: CEDOBI, 141-156.

***

Wolf, Michaela (2020) "Sprachmittlung unter Spaniens Himmel: Fotografische Inszenierungen von Translation", in: Kölbl, Julia/Orolova, Iryna/Wolf, Michaela (eds.) ¿Pasarán? Communication in the Spanish Civil War. Interacting in the Spanish Civil War. Vienna/Hamburg: new academic press, 194-211.

Wolf, Michaela (2019) "The International Brigades were dominated by Babylonian confusion". Communication within the Interbrigades in the Spanish Civil War, in: Hasta pronto, amigos de España. Las Brigadas Internacionales en el 80 aniversario de su despedida de la Guerra civil española. Francisco Alía Miranda, Eduardo Higueras Castañeda, Antonio Selva Iniesta (Eds.) Albacete: CEDOBI, 157-175.

Wolf, Michaela (2018) "'Hundred languages, but one will': Interpreting at the International Brigades", in: Pichler, Georg and Heimo Halbrainer (eds.) Camaradas. Austrians in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. Graz: CLIO, 153-168.

 

 

events

22.06.2021 "¡No pasarán! - They shall not pass! Recent Studies on Communication in the Spanish Civil War" - Event as part of the HuK-Forum of the University of Graz, Cluster "Language and Plurality"

Short presentations by Julia Kölbl and Michaela Wolf on the anthology ¿Pasarán? Communication in the Spanish Civil War. Interacting in the Spanish Civil War, the database I I W - Interpreting in War and the monograph The Babel of Tongues: English-speaking volunteers and their contribution to communication in the Spanish Civil War.

Short lecture by Jesús Baigorri-Jalón: "Interpreters in conflict situations: the case of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)"

***

14.11.2019. Final event of the project "Interpreting and Translating in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939"
With presentations by Franziska Duckstein, Julia Kölbl and Michaela Wolf

***

Under Spain's Sky: Film series on the Spanish Civil War

8.10.2019. Film screening: Gira, gira (Крутись, вертись)

Russian with German subtitles

The film, which was made in Russia, was provided with German subtitles by students of the course "Translating - Society and Culture, Russian - German" under the direction of Harald Fleischmann.

17.06.2019. Brigadistas. Solidarios de leyenda

Short lecture by Georg Pichler, Madrid: "Desmemoria. On the debate about civil war and Francoism in Spain"

Photo exhibition by Georg Pichler: Camaradas

23.05.2019. La maleta mexicana

Opening: Alicia Buenrostro Massieu, Ambassador of Mexico
Photo exhibition by Michael Schmid, Vienna: Belchite - Franco's dead city

15.05.2019. Mika, mi guerra de España

Short lecture by Cynthia Gabbay, Berlin: "Portraying Micaela Feldman Etchebehere"

9.05.2019. Robles, duelo al sol

Opening: Christof Korp, Honorary Consul of Spain Short lecture by David Hucek, Graz:
"John dos Passos - political disenchantment and literary legacy"

***

16.01.2019. Kaiser, Juanita, daughter of fighters against Spain: Lecture as part of the course "English: Basic Translational Skills" on the topic of "Memory and Awareness Work on the Spanish Civil War" and discussion with project and institute staff. Organization: Ursula Stachl-Peier and Michaela Wolf.

***

Wolf, Michaela: Translation Studies Master's seminar "Translating the War (Spanish Civil War)", summer semester 2017, Institute of Translation Studies.

Project period:	June 1, 2016 - June 30, 2018
Financed by:	Scientific & Technological Cooperation with Macedonia, Project No. MK 08/2016
Project website:	n/a
Project coordinator in Graz:	Dr. Ursula Stachl-Peier
Project participants in Graz:	Fiona Begley, Ba, MA; Delia Pagano, Dott.ssa

 

Project summary

European and national institutions, such as the Directorate General for Translation of the EU and CILT, the National Centre for Languages in the United Kingdom, have defined a series of competences for translators and interpreters that are seen as key to enhancing their performance and employability, and which include interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills have been shown to require a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI).

The aim of this project is to develop methodologies that can support translation and interpreting (T&I) students' development of EI. The goal is to prepare a handbook for T&I teachers exemplifying classroom activities that can be integrated in the course design.

Project data

Period:	16.01.2014 - 15.03.2018
Funding:	FWF (P26332-G23)
Project page:	http://itat2.uni-graz.at/fwf/extra/
Project leader:	Prof. Dr. Hanna Risku
Staff members:	Jelena Milosevic BA. MA., Mag. phil. Regina Rogl

Brief description

The ExTra project investigates the cognitive processes in the translation process, taking into account the technological and social embedding of the translators involved in their real working environments. The overall aim of the project is to complement the established tradition of experimental translation process research with an ethnographic approach in order to promote the ecological validity of the results and to extend the object domain of process research. Such an extension of the object domain represents translation as a socio-cognitive, embodied interaction between humans and artifacts. To this end, the focus of the study is on the one hand on the situational cognitive processes that can be found in translation processes, and on the other hand on the translators' interactions with the actors and artifacts relevant to a translation assignment.

The investigation takes the form of a multi-case study with participant observation and interviews with (1) two freelance translators, (2) a translation agency, (3) the translation department of a public institution and (4) the technical documentation department of a technology company and its external translation agency. The qualitative data analysis is supplemented by the development of suitable process and network visualizations.

Project data

 

Project title:	Translation and Modification of the Austrian Training Handbook for Interpreters in the Asylum Procedure
Client:	UNHCR Austria
Duration:	October 1, 2016 - January 2017
Project leader:	Dr. Sonja Pöllabauer
Project assistant:	Mag. Iris Topolovec

 

Brief description

As part of this project, an English-language, country-independent training manual based on the Training Manual for Interpreters in Asylum Procedures (UNHCR 2015) will be created, which should contribute to a long-term improvement in the quality of interpreting in asylum procedures. In an international context, the training manual is intended to serve as a basis for the initial qualification of interpreters who have not been trained for this task.

Background to the project

Interpreters play a key role in the asylum procedure, which entails high demands and responsibility. During interviews as part of the asylum procedure, applicants are heard with the help of interpreters. The oral statements made by asylum seekers about their reasons for fleeing are often the central basis for the authorities' decision-making. A (correct or incorrect) interpretation of what is said can be decisive for the granting of asylum or protection status. Consequently, the involvement of well-trained interpreters is essential for a high-quality asylum procedure.

In order to ensure and improve the quality of interpreting services and communication conditions in Austrian asylum procedures, UNHCR Austria, in cooperation with relevant experts from the fields of asylum law and translation studies, as well as African studies, linguistics and psychotherapy, has developed a modular training manual for the specialized qualification of interpreters in asylum procedures. This training manual for interpreters in asylum procedures (UNHCR 2015) is intended to provide language experts (i.e. people who interpret without the relevant training) and sworn and court-certified interpreters as well as qualified interpreters with an opportunity to acquire knowledge and deepen their understanding of the subject.

In terms of structural quality improvement in asylum procedures, the training manual is now also used in further training measures in Austria. The Austrian Adult Education Centers in Vienna, Salzburg and Graz offer learning modules from the training program as blended learning, i.e. as a combination of face-to-face events and e-learning.

Contents and objectives of the project

As part of the project "Modification and Translation of the Austrian Training Handbook for Interpreters in the Asylum Procedure", the content of the training handbook for interpreters in the asylum procedure (UNHCR 2015) is being revised and translated in cooperation with Austrian and international experts, translators and authors of the German-language learning modules. The result is an English-language, country-independent version of the training manual, which makes the manual accessible to non-German-speaking trainers and interpreters and can also be used outside Austria. In addition to the translation into English, the focus is on the content design, in which Austria-specific content of the individual learning modules is adapted in order to make the training manual as widely applicable as possible throughout Europe and beyond.

Not only in Austria, but also in other European countries, there is a lack of specialized training for interpreters in asylum procedures. The aim is therefore to provide a training manual that can serve as a basis for initial or further training of interpreters in asylum procedures in an international context.

Download the Handbook for Interpreters in Asylum Procedures

The Handbook for Interpreters in Asylum Procedures is available at the following link http://www.unhcr.org/dach/at/trainingshandbuch (bottom right: "Handbook in English").

Project description

"Mauthausen: The role of interpreting in the 'order of terror'"

As survivors' accounts and interviews with concentration camp survivors illustrate, communication in the camps was a life-defining factor for the prisoners - after all, up to 40 different nationalities were represented in many camps. The project examines the work of interpreters in Mauthausen. It examines the extent to which interpreting was a highly ambivalent activity: on the one hand, the interpreters contributed to maintaining the structure of violence in the camp system by "mediating" between the SS camp staff and the Kapos, while on the other hand they were able to help alleviate the situation of their fellow prisoners, at least temporarily. By examining the interpreting activities in Mauthausen, the project provides a critical view of the social constants prevalent in the camp and the factors influencing the complex power structures in the camp.

Information:

Project sponsor: Future Fund of the Republic of Austria

Project leader: Ao.Univ.-Prof^.in Mag^.a Dr^.in Michaela Wolf

Project number: P13-1490

Project duration: December 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014

 

Archives

• KZ - memoria scripta / Interdisciplinary research group of the University of Salzburg

 

Cooperation partners

Dr. Zaia Alexander
University of California

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heidi Aschenberg
Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen

em.o.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Gerhard Botz
University of Vienna

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Davies
University of Edinburgh

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Petra Ernst
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

Dr. Heimo Halbrainer
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

Dr. Andrea Hammel
Aberystwyth University

Univ.Prof. Dr. Francine Kaufmann
Bar-Ilan University

o.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Helmut Konrad
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

o.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Kuon
Universität Salzburg

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Gerald Lamprecht
Karl-Franzens-University Graz

Priv.-Doz. PhD Eleonore Lappin-Eppel
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Albert Lichtblau
University of Salzburg

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Philippe Mesnard
Université Clermont-Ferrand 2 Blaise Pascal

Assoz.-Prof. Dr. Bertrand Perz
University of Vienna

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Barbara Stelzl-Marx
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

Dr. Andrea Strutz
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Truyk
Uniwersytet Warszawski

 

International Symposium

Interpreting in Nazi Concentration Camps: Challenging the "Order of Terror"?

 

Date:

16 - 17 May 2014

Venue:

Department of Translation Studies, University of Graz, Austria

 

In Nazi concentration camps the prisoners came from 30 to 40 different nationalities. With German as the only official language at the lager, communication was vital for the prisoners' survival. In the last few decades, there has been extensive research on the language used by the camp inmates ("lagerszpracha", "lagerjargon", "Krematorium-Esperanto", etc.); however, investigation on the mediating role of interpreters between SS guards and prisoners on the one hand, and among inmates on the other, has been almost nonexistent.

This symposium will particularly explore the act of interpreting in Nazi concentration camps. The papers will address the following topics:

• In what way did the knowledge of languages and, accordingly, certain communication skills, contribute to the survival of concentration camp inmates and of the interpreting person?
• What is the role of interpreting in a wider context in mapping life in concentration camps?
• Did the interpreting activity have an impact on the hierarchical order in which the prisoners were forced to live?
• In what way does the study of communication mechanisms in concentration camps enhance our understanding of the ambiguous role of interpreting in more general terms?
• In what way does the study of interpreting in concentration camps shape an interpreting concept which can help us better understand the violent nature of interpreting in contexts other than the holocaust?
• Which metaphors could best be used to describe the interpreting activity in order to convey the extreme terror to which the lager prisoners were exposed?
• In what way have these topics been dealt with in literary and educational material and in films?
• How can life in concentration camps be conceptualized by means of translation in a wider and a narrower sense?

Furthermore, the symposium seeks to expand the theoretical, methodological, ethical and disciplinary approaches related to interpreting and other forms of communication in the extreme living conditions of concentration camps.

Organizers:

Michaela Wolf

Sabine Messner

Iris Topolovec

Andreas Wagner

Further Information:

• Programs
• Abstracts
• Invited Participants
• CVs
• Venue
• Funding
• Contact
• Travelling

Project data

 

Project title:	Transcreation: Process Requirements and Client Expectations
Duration:	01.10.2013 - 01.10.2014
Sponsor:in:	Company
Completed	Third-party funded project
Research focus(s):	Heterogeneity and cohesion
Assigned unit(s):	Institute for Theoretical and Applied Translation Studies
Project leader:	Risku Hanna
Project team members:	Pichler, Theresa Wieser, Vanessa

 

Brief description of the project

In order to remain competitive, many translation companies are expanding their fields of activity to include technical communication, layout, terminology, and other related services, and are thus becoming full-service multilingual and cultural communication vendors. As translation agencies expand their services and competencies - in line with the broad definition of translation used in modern-day translation studies - translating marketing communications materials is one potential area into which they might expand. However, international advertising campaigns for multinational companies are often handled by or with advertising agencies, frequently without the involvement of translation agencies (Anholt 2000).

In this project, we look at the challenges translation agencies may face when entering this field. In an exploratory empirical study, we investigated the expectations of 10 regular clients of an Austrian translation agency regarding the translation (or transcreation) of marketing communications materials. For this purpose, 13 qualitative interviews were carried out with agency clients in Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The interviewees were asked about their interest in such a service in principle, its potential added value, and their expectations of the product and process. The study also looked at their expectations of the briefing and review processes. The results serve to outline the necessary modifications to the processes required to offer this specific translation service.

Project description

Project duration: 2008-2009

Funding body/client: Federal Social Welfare Office

The study on deaf young women in the labor market and in society was conducted as an Austria-wide empirical study. Until now, deaf women with their specific needs, prerequisites and disadvantages have not been visible. They were usually subsumed under the category of "disability". This study is now an empirical study that focuses on the factors of gender and deafness as causes of social inequality, with the aim of sustainably improving the integration and employment opportunities of young deaf women. This research project was commissioned by the Federal Social Welfare Office. Qualitative interviews were conducted with experts from the field of labor market integration as well as with deaf and hard of hearing women aged 15 to 25 to determine the current situation.

 

Download the research report:

Sylvia Grünbichler, Barbara Andree (2009): On the situation of deaf young women in the labor market and in society. Possibilities and limits of their participation. Institute for Translation Studies: Graz.

 

Press:

Interview: derStandard

 

Contact:
Mag.a Sylvia Grünbichler
Mag.a Dr.in Barbara Andree

Project overview

 

Project period:	2007 - 2009
Financed by:	EU Grundtvig (Lifelong-Learning Program)
Project leader:	Department of Translation Studies, University of Graz. Contact: Mag.Dr. Sonja Pöllabauer
Project partners:	Uni for Life - Seminarveranstaltungs-GmbH, University of Graz(project coordinator) University of Mainz in Germersheim, School of Translation Studies, Linguistics and Cultural Studies (Germany) University of Ljubljana, Department of Translation and Interpreting (Slovenia) University of Tampere, School of Modern Languages and Translation Studies (Finland) Styrian Hospital Corporation - Steiermärkische Krankenanstaltengesellschaft (Austria) Zebra - Intercultural Center of Counselling and Therapy in Graz (Austria)

 

Project summary

Communication between healthcare providers and patients who do not speak the majority language is inadequate in many countries. The availability of trained medical interpreters can help bridge communication barriers in medical settings and ensure more equal service provision, better patient compliance, and higher cost efficiency.

To improve the situation, the MedInt project team developed a curriculum and materials for the training of medical interpreters, as well as a brochure with guidelines for interpreter-mediated communication for service-providers. They also published a collection of articles addressing different challenges of healthcare interpreting.

Project data

 

Funded by:	European Refugee Fund
Duration	01.10.2007-31.08.2008
Cooperation with	Federal Asylum Office Graz
Project management	Prof. Dr. Gerhard Budin (ZTW) o.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erich Prunč (ITAT)
Staff members:	Mag. Dr. phil. Gernot Hebenstreit (ITAT) Dr. Günter Leikauf (ITAT) Mag. Dr. phil. Sonja Pöllabauer (ITAT) Mag. Irmgard Soukup-Unterweger (ZTW)

 

Terminology database for the Austrian asylum system

The terminology database on Austrian asylum law is a multilingual online database with entries in German, Arabic, English, French, Russian and Serbian. The database was created as part of a research project funded by the European Refugee Fund (ERF) in the 2007 program year (duration: October 2007 to August 2008). It was carried out by the Universities of Vienna (Center for Translation Studies) and Graz (Institute for Translation Studies) in cooperation with the Federal Asylum Office.

More information on the project and how to use the database can be found here: Download PDF.

The terminology database for the Austrian asylum system can be accessed here: Link to the terminology database (Asyltermbank_60) User name and password: asyl

 

The lexicon SignLex: Education and training contains 294 lexicon entries in the fields of education and training. The entries are divided into 10 categories: Education and upbringing, educational pathways with Matura, educational pathways without Matura, integration and assistance, school teaching and school organization, school types and school forms, teaching and learning methods, performance assessment and tests, competencies and skills, science and research. In addition, the lexicon provides access to the specialist signs for 31 subjects in primary and secondary schools as well as general secondary schools.

The lexicon is bilingual (German - ÖGS), for each German (and sometimes English) technical term there are the corresponding technical signs (federal state variants). The explanations of terms are available in written form (German) and in ÖGS.

The lexicon is a collection of empirically collected specialized signs from seven Austrian federal states (Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol and Vienna). It does not claim to be exhaustive. The collection of specialized signs was carried out in cooperation with 16 deaf informants.

 

Literature reference:

Grünbichler, Sylvia & Karin Hofstätter (2008): "Entwicklung von Fachlexika für die Österreichische Gebärdensprache: Strukturelle, methodische und sprachliche Besonderheiten". In: Das Zeichen. Journal for the Language and Culture of the Deaf, 22/79, 286-296

 

Project data:

• Project duration: 2006 - 2007
• Project management: Ass. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nadja Grbic
• Staff members: Dr. Barbara Andree, Sylvia Grünbichler, Simone Greiner-Ogris, Karin Hofstätter, Reinhold Töglhofer, Christian Stalzer
• Technical implementation: FH Joanneum Graz, Information Management program
• Funding: Federal Social Welfare Office

Project duration: 2004-2008

The aim of the accompanying research was to scientifically accompany students on the "Sign Language Interpreting" course at the ITAT throughout significant stages of their studies. Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, four sub-studies were carried out with the following focal points:

• Perceptions, motivations and experiences of students and teachers in the first year of study.
• Language acquisition and language competence of second-year students.
• The transition from language acquisition to interpreting from the perspective of students and teachers.
• Training and knowledge acquisition, interpreting-specific issues and professional expectations of higher-semester students at five universities in German-speaking countries.

Download the research reports

Sylvia Grünbichler, Andree Barbara (2008): Accompanying study on sign language interpreting: A quantitative study on training and knowledge acquisition, interpreting-specific issues and professional perceptions of higher semester students at five universities in German-speaking countries, Institute for Translation Studies: Graz

download

Funded by: Federal Ministry of Social Affairs and Consumer Protection; Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank

 

Andree Barbara, Sylvia Grünbichler (2007): Accompanying study on sign language interpreting: The transition from language acquisition to interpreting from the perspective of students and teachers. Institute for Translation Studies: Graz

download

Funded by: Federal Ministry for Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection; Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank

 

Andree Barbara, Sylvia Grünbichler (2006): Accompanying research on the sign language interpreting course: Language acquisition and language competence of second-year students. Institute for Translation Studies: Graz

download

Funded by: Federal Ministry for Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection; Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank

 

Andree Barbara, Sylvia Grünbichler (2005): Accompanying study on sign language interpreting: Perceptions, motivations and experiences of students and teachers in the first year of study. Institute for Translation Studies: Graz

download

Funded by: Federal Ministry for Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection; Province of Styria, Department for Science and Research

Contact

Mag.a Sylvia Grünbichler
Mag.a Dr.in Barbara Andree

Project data

 

Funded by:	FWF The Austrian Science Fund
	Realization within the framework of the Balkan Commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Duration	01.10.2004–31.03.2008
Project leader	o.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erich Prunč
Staff members:	Mag.ª Metka Filipic, Dr.a Latica Marić

 

Brief description

As part of the project, German-Slovenian and German-Croatian translations in the period 1848-1918 will initially be recorded bibliographically and listed in an internet-enabled database. This database will also record the paratexts and metatexts for the individual translations. Based on the bibliometric evaluation of the target texts, selection principles will be worked out against the background of the assumed simultaneous German supply of potential source texts, the distribution and the (modeling) effect of the target texts will be determined and their integration into the respective target culture will be examined. The target texts will be presented and annotated in electronic form on the Internet for linguistic, literary and cultural analysis. Networking with the existing national Slovenian and Croatian corpus projects is ensured through appropriate interfaces. The linguistic-statistical evaluation is primarily carried out from the aspect of the development of text type specifics. By comparing the statistical parameters of the source texts with those of the target texts, it is also possible to gain insights into language pair-specific structural differences relevant to translation. The parallel corpora of selected Slovenian and Croatian target texts and their German source texts created in the last step of the project serve as the basis for the translation studies analysis in the narrower sense. The sample is determined on the basis of the representativeness of the texts for the linguistic, literary, cultural and political development and should offer a cross-section of all possible text types from non-fiction to literary texts. With the help of the parallel corpora, shifts occurring on both a macro- and micro-structural level are identified, classified and evaluated against the given socio-cultural and ideological background

 

Database

Database with all bibliographic data, linking of source and target texts. Approx. 300 scanned texts in PDF format, selected texts also with concordances (work in progress) at itat2.uni-graz.at/pub/tradok/

 

Instructions for use:

After you have registered yourself as a "new user", you can request extended rights as a user from Gerhard Koscher(gerhard.koscher(at)uni-graz.at) or Em.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erich Prunč. Graduated access rights:

Guest: Read rights for released data records

User: Read rights for the entire database, limited write rights (only own entries may be deleted or modified). A 2-hour training course must be completed before user authorization can be assigned.

Moderator: responsible for all entries

The lexicon SignLex: Work & Social Affairs contains 332 lexicon entries from the specialist areas of work and social affairs in the categories of employment law, workplace, offices and authorities, occupation and training, disability and equality, health, law (general), social law, social work and general, context-related terms (general).

The lexicon is bilingual (German - ÖGS), i.e. for each German (and sometimes English) technical term there are the corresponding technical terms based on the survey (federal state variants). The explanations of terms are available in written form as well as in ÖGS.

The lexicon is a collection of empirically collected technical signs from seven Austrian federal states (Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol and Vienna) and does not claim to be exhaustive. The collection of specialized signs was carried out in cooperation with 15 deaf informants.

 

References:

• Grünbichler, Sylvia & Barbara Andree (2008): "Challenges and problems in the development of the computerized sign language lexicon SignLex: Work & Social Affairs." In: Jesenšek, Vida & Alija Lipavic Oštir (eds.): Germanistische Linguistik. Dictionary and Translation. 4th International Colloquium on Lexicography and Dictionary Research. University of Maribor, October 20-22, 2006. Hildesheim, Zurich, New York: Georg Olms Verlag, 82-96
• Grünbichler, Sylvia & Karin Hofstätter (2008): "Entwicklung von Fachlexika für die Österreichische Gebärdensprache: Strukturelle, methodische und sprachliche Besonderheiten". In: Das Zeichen. Journal for the Language and Culture of the Deaf, 22/79, 286-296

Project data:

• Project duration: 2004 - 2005
• Project management: Ass. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nadja Grbic
• Staff members: Dr. Barbara Andree, Sylvia Grünbichler, Simone Greiner-Ogris, Karin Hofstätter, Reinhold Töglhofer, Christian Stalzer
• Technical implementation: FH Joanneum Graz, Information Management program
• Funding: Federal Social Welfare Office

The focus of the project Zeichen setzen! project was in the areas of further training, developing teaching and learning materials for sign language lessons and raising awareness.

Further training

For deaf adults, target group-specific IT training courses were developed and offered and further training for sign language course instructors from Styria was carried out. Further offers included sign language courses for hearing people who wanted to learn sign language for professional reasons as well as further training seminars for sign language interpreters and interpreter trainees.

As part of the further development of teaching materials, a learning video for ÖGS was created: Zeichen setzen! Übungsmaterialien für LernerInnen der ÖGS, ITAT: Graz, 2002. VHS, 80 min. Furthermore, the first specialized sign language lexicon was developed: SignLex: Lexikon der IT-Grundbegriffe, Deutsch - ÖGS. ITAT: Graz, 2003 (CD-ROM), out of print.

Sensitization

Workshops on the subject of sign language and deaf culture were held in elementary school and kindergartens in Styria as part of awareness-raising activities.

References

• Grbic, Nadja, Barbara Andree & Sylvia Grünbichler (2004): Zeichen setzen. Sign language as a scientific and socio-political challenge. Graz: ITAT, GTS - Graz Translations Studies, Volume 8
• Greiner-Ogris, Simone & Karin Hofstätter (2004): "Schau ma mal" - Vom Interesse Berufstätiger an der Österreichischen Gebärdensprache". In: Das Zeichen. Journal for the Language and Culture of the Deaf, 18/68, 404-411

Project data

• Project duration: 2001 - 2003
• Project management: Ass. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nadja Grbic
• Staff members: Dr. Barbara Andree, Sylvia Grünbichler, Karin Hofstätter, Reinhold Töglhofer, Simone Greiner-Ogris, Christian Stalzer
• Funding: Federal Social Welfare Office

Under the direction of associate^professor Dr. Michaela^Wolf, a research project on the integration of theory and practice of feminist translation was carried out at the Institute for Translator and Interpreter Training at the University of Graz from April 1999 to March 2000. With the support of the Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank, a comprehensive documentation of feminist translation in research, teaching and practice in German-speaking countries was compiled.

The project thus follows on from several years of research by Michaela Wolf and Nadja Grbić, who have held several courses on this topic.

Based on this, several diploma theses on the topic of feminist translation have also been written at the Graz Institute for Theoretical and Applied Translation Studies.

In addition to strategies of feminist translation and the translation of experimental feminist literature, important issues in feminist translation studies include feminist translation criticism, the rediscovery of translators and interpreters who have been forgotten and the social role of translators.

Project leader: Associate^Professor Dr.^MichaelaWolf

Project advisor: Sabine Messner

Project focus

• Problem definition and theoretical treatment of the fields of feminist translation and feminist translation studies Survey of activities in the theory and practice of feminist translation
• Survey of publishers and women's series that produce feminist translations in German-speaking countries
• Research into guidelines for women-friendly language

At the end of the project, a congress was organized: "Translation from all women's countries". Graz, June 2-3, 2000.

The results of the project and the contributions to the congress were published in

Messner, Sabine/Wolf, Michaela (2000) Mittlerin zwischen den Kulturen - Mittlerin
zwischen den Geschlechtern? Study on the theory and practice of feminist translation, Graz: Institute for Translation Studies (GTS Graz Translation Studies 2)

Messner, Sabine/Wolf, Michaela (eds.) (2001): Translation from all women's countries. Contributions to the theory and practice of female reality in translation. Graz: Leykam (Grazer Gender Studies 7)

Important links on the topic

• Coordination Office for Gender Studies, Women's Studies and the Advancement of Women
• IG Translators Translators
• Universitas Austria - Professional Association for Interpreting and Translating
• Authors in Switzerland
• Swiss Association of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters
• BDÜ - Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators
• Ariadne - women-specific information and documentation

Mailing lists

• FEMALE-L: Information and current issues relating to women's studies
• u-litfor: German mailing list for literary translators
• WISE-L: European Women's Studies

Guidelines for gender-equitable formulation

• Guide for gender-equitable formulation of the ITAT

In this EU project, networking and awareness-raising were at the heart of the planning and implementation of services. The main focus was on the development and implementation of further training measures for deaf adults as well as raising public awareness of the concerns and interests of the deaf community through the production and distribution of information brochures In addition, the development of teaching and learning media for sign language lessons was started as part of this project.

Networking and further education

With the aim of making the Internet accessible to the deaf community in Austria as a communication and presentation medium, IT training courses were held for representatives of Austrian deaf organizations. At that time, none of the Austrian deaf organizations had their own website. The aim of the training courses offered was to train the participants to publish on the Internet. For this reason, the training was not aimed at individuals, but at deaf organizations. The deaf people sent by the representative bodies were to act as multipliers.

Raising awareness & sensitization

Two information brochures were designed and developed to help raise awareness at different levels. The brochure Let's talk... Information folder on communication with deaf people (1999, 2003) contains information on deafness, sign language and deaf culture as well as a number of relevant contact addresses. The brochure Your chance! Successful cooperation with deaf people (1999) is aimed at employers who employ or want to employ deaf people. Both brochures are out of print.

Development of teaching and learning materials for ÖGS lessons

Two videos with accompanying booklets were developed and produced in cooperation with deaf sign language teachers. Building blocks for sign language lessons II: Deaf culture and club life. Video (VHS-PAL, 91 min.) and accompanying booklet for teachers and learners of ÖGS, Graz: ITAT 2002, GTS Volume 6 - Out of print. Building blocks for sign language teaching I: Holidays and leisure. Video (VHS-PAL, 118 min.) and accompanying booklet for teachers and learners of ÖGS, Graz: ITAT 2002, GTS Volume 5 - Out of print.

Literature reference

Grbic, Nadja, Barbara Andree & Sylvia Grünbichler (2004): Zeichen setzen. Sign language as a scientific and socio-political challenge. Graz: ITAT, GTS - Graz Translation Studies, Volume 8

• Project duration: 1998 - 2000
• Project management: Ass. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nadja Grbic
• Collaborators: Dr. Barbara Andree, Sylvia Grünbichler, Christian Stalzer, Monika Mück, Susanna Kaler
• Funding: Federal Social Welfare Office, esf

This EU project focused on the design and implementation of two courses: training for deaf sign language course instructors and further training for active sign language interpreters in Austria.

Training for sign language course instructors

The need to offer specialized training for deaf sign language instructors was due to the fact that although a few sign language courses were offered by deaf people in Austria, the instructors had no formal training whatsoever. In addition, the number of courses on offer was far from sufficient to cover the growing interest of hearing people in learning ÖGS. Based on a cultural model of deafness, a course was designed and implemented for Austria for the first time, which included the teaching of subject-related knowledge and methodological-didactic practice for sign language teaching. The advantage of the international cooperation was, on the one hand, the exchange of know-how in this area and, on the other, the opportunity to recruit teachers from the partner institutions for this course. 28 deaf women and men from eight Austrian provinces completed this training and graduated with a certificate from the University of Graz.

Further training for sign language interpreters

The changing job profile of sign language interpreters and the increasing emancipation of deaf people required an increasing professionalization of sign language interpreters in Austria. On the basis of the research focus on sign language interpreting, a curriculum for a comprehensive qualification was developed. From February 1997 to March 1998, active interpreters with practical experience had the opportunity for the first time to attend a further training course to acquire professional interpreting skills. Due to the great demand, this course was held a second time from September 1999 to May 2000. A total of 47 people from eight Austrian provinces completed the course with a certificate from the University of Graz.

Grbic, Nadja, Barbara Andree & Sylvia Grünbichler (2004): Zeichen setzen. Sign language as a scientific and socio-political challenge. Graz: ITAT, GTS - Graz Translation Studies, Volume 8

Project data

• Project duration: 1996 - 2000
• Project management: Ass. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nadja Grbic
• Staff members: Dr. Barbara Andree, Sylvia Grünbichler, Christian Stalzer, Monika Mück, Karin Mulisch
• Funding: Federal Social Welfare Office; esf