The 7th International Conference on Non-Professional Interpreting and Translation (NPIT7) invites exploration of multilingual practices in a diversity of spaces and times within migratory, diasporic, and globalized contexts. Non-professional translation and interpreting take place in varied urban and rural spaces, both public and private, such as schools, hospitals, museums, public service departments, as well as political, religious, or cultural institutions. In almost every region of the world, NGOs and state departments often rely upon multilingual agents who are not necessarily professional(ised) translators and/or interpreters to enable communication. Historically, multilingual practices have been inherent in most empires since antiquity, whether forced, tacit, or openly fostered. In today’s globalised world, acts and products of nonprofessional translation, interpreting, mediation, or any other type of multilingual practice enable communication across diverse expertise fields—from public administration, trade, economy, industry, healthcare, social services, education and science to arts, music, and literature. In these contexts, multilingual agents occupy varying positions and reputations depending on the cultural, social, and political frameworks surrounding nonprofessional interpreting and translation. They may face discrimination, marginalization, neglect, or suppression, but can also receive acknowledgment, celebration, and respect. However, it should not be forgotten that today human translators and interpreters, professional or non-professional, are often no longer engaged and multilingual communication is managed via translation apps and similar tools, assisting or even replacing human agents. The reasons are manifold, spanning a political denial of human translation and interpreting to a widespread, sometimes naive and illusory, but often politically and economically supported, technological faith. This conference would certainly benefit from a closer analysis of these reasons.
Building on this perspective, NPIT7 invites all participants to illuminate the dynamic relationships and societal effects of multilingual agents, with particular attention to the materialities, artefacts, and technologies that shape their multilingual practices. In so doing, the historical and current situatedness of non-professional(ised) translating and interpreting practices can be brought to the fore. Furthermore, this perspective calls for rethinking the basic dichotomy of “professional/non-professional”. If we discuss non-professional translation and interpreting as multilingual practices, it becomes obvious that further binary denominations, conventionally applied for the distinction between professional and non-professional, like remunerated/non-remunerated, qualified/non-qualified or commissioned/voluntary, may also be questioned and unsettled. This conference aims to encourage researchers and practitioners alike to view interpreters and translators as straddling a liminal position determined by geopolitical, socio-economic, socio-professional, and/or technological factors. We invite participants to examine translation and interpreting practices not merely through the professional/non-professional divide, but in relation to their role within specific domains—encompassing public administration, trade, economy, industry, military, crisis and disaster management, healthcare, social services, education, science, the arts, music, or literature. This is a perspective that has enormous potential to deepen and diversify our understanding of professionality/professionalism and to enable an inter- and even paraprofessional and inter- and transdisciplinary approach to multilingual practices. These practices also display a multitude of motives and functions ranging from conventionalized and engaged to the informal. Research and practice on non-professional interpreting and translation would benefit significantly from describing the forms, motivations, and functions of various human agents and nonhuman actors engaged in multilingual practices across different spaces and times.
Guest Speakers and Round Table
- Katharina Brizić (University of Freiburg)
- Rebecca Tipton (University of Manchester)
- Roundtable: NPIT in Austria – Research and Practice
More information and the programme can be found on the conference homepage.