[Event] 6th International Conference on Non-Professional Interpreting and Translation

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Scholars from Translation Studies and other disciplines (such as Sociology or Communication Studies) are increasingly becoming more interested in the multi-faceted and thought-provoking topic of interpreting and translation provided by non-professionals of any age and background, with or without remuneration, under a variety of circumstances, and for a wide spectrum of reasons. Non-professional interpreting and translation (NPIT) are widespread enough to allow us to see translation and interpreting not only as recognized and established professions but also as a ubiquitous social practice of much-needed mediation. In this context, one might attempt to investigate NPIT not merely as an opposite, and perhaps problematic, or even renegade, pole to professional mediation, but as ‘unstated’ mediation. NPIT presents an acceptable practice, which, however, remains less visible and less appreciated not only by professionals and society in general but even by non-professional interpreters and translators themselves.

Delving into the ethical aspects of NPIT would provide perhaps one of the most inclusive categories which can act as a generic framework for investigating the forms it can take and its repercussions for all ‘sides’ involved. More specifically, the NPIT6 Conference at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia will attempt to explore the ethical questions arising from the ‘unstated’ character of NPIT. In so doing, NPIT6 aims to align itself with contemporary research trends and continue the fruitful discussions of the previous NPIT conferences, from the ‘natal’ one at the University of Bologna/Forlì in 2012, through to NPIT2 in Mainz/Germersheim (2014), NPIT3 in Zurich (2016), NPIT4 in Stellenbosch (2018), and NPIT5 in Amsterdam & Utrecht (2021). In the 2023 conference, emphasis is placed on the status and conceptualization of NPIT, as well as on ethical questions regarding not only NPIT itself but also professional interpreting and translation, their role in society, and their possible impact on the very notions of mediation and professional identity.

The 6th International Conference on Non-Professional Interpreting and Translation (NPIT6) Organizing Committee invites proposals for presentations on any theoretical, empirical, and/or methodological aspect of research related to the conference theme. For all proposals, the official conference language is English.

Three categories of proposals will be considered: (i) individual presentations, (ii) panels, and (iii) posters. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Ethics and professional identity
• Mapping NPIT
• Ethical models of mediation
• Conceptualizations of ethical conduct by professional and non-professional mediators
• Human crises, conflict situations, and ad hoc translation and/or interpreting
• Adult/child language and cultural brokering / Family interpreting
• Non-professional vs professional community translation and interpreting settings (NGOs, asylum-seeking, health care, community and social care, courts, and police)
• Non-professional translation and/or interpreting within other professional contexts (teaching, journalism, business communication, etc.)
• Information technologies and machine translation
• Natural/native translation and interpreting
• Non-professional church/religious interpreting and/or translation
• Non-professional interpreting and/or translation for the media
• Non-professional sign language interpreting
• Stakeholder perspectives on non-professional interpreters and translators
• Training for non-professional interpreters and translators
• Integration of non-professional mediators into professional communities

Proposals for individual presentations or posters

Each paper presentation will be scheduled for 20 minutes, plus 10 minutes for discussion. Posters will be given extra time during a two-hour poster session. For individual presentations and posters, a max. 300-word abstract (including references) should be sent to the NPIT6-organizers (npit6@ucy.ac.cy) by 18 September 2022 16 October 2022. Abstracts will be double-blind peer-reviewed and evaluated by the NPIT6 Advisory Board and the local organizers. All contributions will be assessed on the basis of their relevance to the conference theme as well as their theoretical background and research design.

Proposals for panels

Panels make up a collection of up to four paper presentations given within a 120-minute timeframe. Panels will be reviewed en bloc and based on the abstracts provided by the panel organizers.

Panel organizers are required to submit the following to npit6@ucy.ac.cy by 18 September 2022 16 October 2022:

• A general overview abstract (max. 500 words, including examples and references) describing the whole panel.
• A list of invited contributors and/or discussants (name, affiliation, email address).
• A maximum of 8 keywords covering the subject, methodology, and theoretical framework(s).
• All individual abstracts (max. 300 words each, including references).

Moreover, panel organizers are also required to chair their panel and ensure that all speakers register for the NPIT6 by the deadline for speaker registration.

Important dates and deadlines

For submissions or any inquiries, please contact the local organizers at npit6@ucy.ac.cy.

https://www.npit6.com/index.php/call-for-papers