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The LTTC has
just drawn the final curtain on its second international
conference, entitled The Making of a Translator. More
than 500 participants from home and abroad gathered on April 28
and 29, 2012, to exchange their diverse perspectives on issues
in the translation and interpretation (T&I) field. T&I
researchers and practitioners gave very positive feedback on the
conference program, which aimed to move this venerable craft to
the forefront of serious research and development.
The event opened with a general introduction to the conference
theme by Prof. Si-Chen Lee, President of National Taiwan
University and Chair of the LTTC Board of Directors. Welcoming
remarks were then made in turn by Prof. Tien-en Kao, Executive
Director of the LTTC, Prof. Ting-Ming Lai, President of Shih
Hsin University, and Prof. Cheng-shu Yang, President of the
Taiwan Association of Translation and Interpretation. These four
professors acknowledged the great demand for highly qualified
translators and interpreters in today’s world, and the need to
improve the current training framework and methods to make T&I a
respected profession in Taiwan.
The conference featured a series of highlights, beginning with
Prof. Kwang-chung Yu’s plenary speech, “Translation Knows No
Perfection,” which focused on literary translation. Other
plenary talks, delivered by Prof. Lawrence Venuti, Prof. Sin-wai
Chan, and Dr. Valerie Pellatt, explored theoretical,
technological, and educational issues in T&I. A further 33
scholars, including Prof. Chuanyun Bao, Prof. Cheng-shu Yang,
Prof. Tzu-yun Lai, Prof. Cheng-lung Su, and others from around
the globe, presented papers that led to lively exchanges of
views and ideas between local and international T&I research
groups.
On April 28, a panel discussion entitled “Of Ridges and Peaks:
Faces of Translation,” chaired by Prof. Yaofu Lin, explored the
multifaceted nature of T&I research. On April 29, the panel
chaired by Prof. Cheng-shu Yang, gathered together
representatives from industry, government, and academia to offer
practical suggestions as to what can be done to promote better
T&I training, certification, and evaluation synergy. Both panels
concluded with positive prospects for research and the T&I
industry in Taiwan.
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