Literary Criticism

  First-year Translation MA student, Abeer Al Asmari, delivered a webinar titled: "Literary Translation: A Cynosure of Hopeful Translators, Yet Too Hard to Master" at a regular biweekly event organized by the Language Research Center (LRC) on September 30, 2020.   Abeer, while quoting John Keats, first defined Literary Translation. She said, "It is a genre of literary creativity in which a work written in one language is recreated in another." She emphasized literary creativity by labeling literary translation as a form of creative writing. Abeer moved on to talking about the significance of literary translation. Literary translation, she added, helps us have proper exposure to other cultures and a better understanding of other countries. She argued that a literary translator should be bi-cultural in addition to being bilingual.   She highlighted controversy over literary translation by specifying that there are boundaries between translating and re-writing literary texts that require demarcation in new standards. She thought that it is upsetting to find some translators exceeding the beauty hidden in the original texts. She, therefore, emphasized that the beauty of the original texts must be maintained by the translators so that it is not lost in the translated version. She added some more lucid points by quoting Pinker (1997), Newmark (1988), and Benjamin (1973). She also quoted Daniel Hahn, director of the British Centre for Literary Translation, by calling his statement even more convincing.   Abeer highlighted the challenges involved in this genre by explaining why translators stay away from this. The worst challenge, she added, lies in the phonological level, which includes rhyme, rhythm, meter, assonance, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and consonance. This level, she noted, makes translation an arduous task for the translators. Another challenge involved is in the stylistic level that includes metaphor, puns, and similes. Culture is also another challenge a translator may face, she added. She finally focused on potential solutions by explaining the ways to overcome those challenges.   Abeer concluded by quoting Umberto Eco and said, "Translation is the art of failure."   LRC Director, Dr. Ismail Alrefaai, and Dr. Eyhab Bader Eddin MCIL CL MITI, Abeer's instructor, sincerely thanked Abeer for her effective presentation, which allowed for a better understanding of literary translation through unique insights. They stressed the importance of throwing weight behind MA students who possess burning enthusiasm and pluck up the courage to follow suit. Abeer's fellow students provided her with unflagging support by their attendance. It is hoped that such webinars would create a window of opportunity for other students to stand on the stage and take up the torch lit by Abeer. It was undoubtedly a very informative webinar, garnering the active participation of both male and female faculty members and students alike.   The Master of Arts in Translation program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to providing student-centered professional development activities that are consistent with program learning outcomes and labor market developments. Date: 10/1/2020 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique

On April 18, 2018, the Language Research Center of King Khalid University organized a seminar that included two presentations – The Concept of Poetry: T. S. Eliot versus I. A. Richards by Dr. Manoj Kumar and Re-appropriating Magical Realism in Arabic Narratives by Dr. Mahmoud Radwan. Dr. Manoj’s presentation was based on his study that aimed at highlighting the contradictory opinions on the concept of poetry and how both are suitable and witty to two different readers. In the beginning, he talked about the etymology of the word ‘poetry.’ He stated that this word was derived from the Greek word ‘poiesis’ that means ‘making.’ He discussed in detail the overall concept of poetry. He focused on forms, genres, compositions, etc. Dr. Manoj explained Eliot’s classism and theories of impersonality, and later I.A. Richard’s theory of literary criticism and T.S Eliot. He also compared Eliot’s and Richard’s language of poetry. Dr. Manoj concluded that T.S. Eliot and I. A. Richards belong to the galaxy of critics who are also well known as poets. Dr. Mahmoud Radwan started his presentation by defining Magical Realism. The term, he said, had been coined by Franz Roh in 1925. It denotes, he added, crossing, overlapping and effacing borders between paradoxical codes and elements of realism and fantasy. Dr. Radwan explained the reason why writers embrace Magical Realism. He stated that marginalized native writers utilize Magical Realism as a mold through which they enter the literary mainstream to deconstruct dichotomous paradigms and projected images created by the advocates of the dominant culture, represent their repressed narratives, and recuperate lost and minor voices. Finally, he mentioned Arab writers who were inspired by Magical realism – Naguib Mahfouz, Ghairi Shalabi, Edwar Al-Kharrat, Emile Habibi, Ibrahim Al Kuni and Ghadah Al Samman and so on. Dr. Radwan concluded that re-appropriation of Magical Realism in Arab narratives emerges as an example of how in adopting such a mode, the act of writing becomes an act of survival, rescuing fragments of the Arab culture from oblivion, shedding light on history, tradition, and reality. The seminar was overall a great success. Date: 4/20/2018 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique Multimedia Source: Dr. Iustin Sfariac and Dr. Mihaita​ Horezeanu

On Monday, March 27, 2017, the Language Research Centre, under the supervision of Dr. Ismail Al Refaai, held a seminar. Dr. Haseeb Ahmed talked about the importance of literature in English Language Teaching and Learning. His presentation was titled, What is Literature? Why Should we Study it? Dr. Ahmed emphasized the importance of studying literature. During his presentation, he quoted preeminent poets such as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Sidney, and philosophers like Aristotle and Jean Paul to identify the purpose of literature. Some of them termed literature as a source of delight and pleasure, and some termed literature as a tool serving a political purpose.     Dr. Ahmed concluded that literature helps to express oneself, have access to culture, develop sophisticated sensibility, appreciate beauty, and develop a wider perspective of events. It is worth noting that Al Samer Campus also participated in the seminar through video conferencing. The presentation was worthwhile and engaged the participants on both sides with an interactive discussion.  Date: 03-27-2017 Source: MD Adil Multimedia Contribution: MD Sirajul Islam