‘Translation makes the unknown a known’
KWA holds symposium on ‘Translator in a Changing World’
By Bader Abu Raghabah Al-Otaibi
KUWAIT CITY, April 4: Kuwait Writers Association (KWA) organized a symposium on “The Translator in a Changing World” on March 29, at Sheikha Dr Suad Al-Sabah Theatre’s Auditorium, at the association venue in Al-Odailiyah area.
The symposium was moderated by Bader Abu Raghabah Al-Otaibi, the bilingual Kuwaiti writer and translator who welcomed the audience and introduced the guest lecturer Dr Tariq Abdullah Fakhrudin, the veteran Kuwaiti translator to them.
Al-Otaibi spoke in brief about the contributions of Dr Fakhrudin as a multifaceted figure and towering personality of English translation in his native country, Kuwait. He also talked about Dr Fakhrudin’s immense contribution in his long and illustrious career as well as his works.
Then, Talal AlRumaidhi, the General Secretary of Kuwait Writers Association presented a commemorative plaque to Dr Fakhrudin amidst the cheers of the audience.
Al-Otaibi
Relevance
Dr Tariq Fakhrudin at the beginning of his speech, talked about the importance and relevance of translation. He also spoke at length about the techniques and nuances of translation as well as its essence. The guest speaker cited examples of different words and phrases to denote the misusage of words in translation from English to Arabic and vice versa which reflects its disastrous situation among us nowadays. He presented a comprehensive view of the value of translation in our modern life and also numerated the tasks of translator in general.
The lecturer talked about various aspects of translation and listed out some of its challenges and difficulties. He explained in detail the process of translation in different areas where he stressed on the necessity of using English correctly for specific purposes in such places as government institutions at ministries or courts to express other forms of translation. He also pointed out to the role of technology and its impact on translation process.
During the symposium, Dr Fakhrudin simply redefined the meaning of translation in his own way as a definition of the unknown and makes it known as well as a simplification of the known and makes it more understandable. He exclusively talked about the size of the translation industry in Kuwait and revealed that the Kuwaiti language service market currently turns over almost KD 30 million ($100 million) per year. He also encouraged young translators to participate in translation projects more actively, and he added “they should understand the concept of translation masterly where the Translation industry is knowledge based industry”.
Recalled
He recalled many incidents and shared interesting anecdotes from his own life experiences and his style of presentation was highly appreciated by the audience.
At the end of his presentation, Dr Fakhrudin answered the questions raised by the audience through a brief but lively interactive session.
Finally, the moderator of symposium Bader Abu Raghabah Al-Otaibi thanked the guest speaker Dr Tariq Abdullah Fakhrudin and audience for their attendance and he concluded by saying “the Kuwait Writers Association is always the home of writers and for the writers”.
The symposium was well covered in the local print and electronic media, and many prominent Kuwaiti writers attended the event such as Laila Al-Othman, Dr Khaleefah AlWeghaiyan and Muna Al-Shafei.
The guest lecturer: Dr Tariq Abdullah Fakhrudin
The guest lecturer, Dr Tariq Abdullah
Left to right: The moderator of symposium, the bilingual Kuwaiti writer Bader Abu Raghabah Al-Otaibi and the guest lecturer, the veteran
Kuwaiti translator, Dr Tariq Abdullah Fakhrudin.
Fakhrudin is an accomplished Kuwaiti translator, author, essayist, academic and scholar in English language (linguist). He earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Kuwait University, and then he obtained his MA as well as PhD in Comparative Literature from New York University. He served as a head of the English department of Kuwait University at the beginning of his academic career. Later on, he served as Director of Arab Open University, Kuwait branch.
He has delivered many lectures at several universities worldwide such as the University of Oxford, University of Bath, Georgetown University, New York University, Kuwait University and the Arab Open University, Kuwait branch. He is fluent in Arabic, English and French.
Dr Fakhrudin has several translated books from English to Arabic and vice versa such as Essentials of College and University Teaching: A Practical Guide by Eleanor Boyle and Harley Rothstein, Disorientations: A Society in Flux: Kuwait in the 1950s by Peter Lienhardt, Documents from the Age of Pearls by Abdullah Yousef Al-Ghunaim, Historic
Veteran Kuwaiti translator Dr Tariq Abdul-
lah Fakhrudin
Photos of the Rulers of the Arabian Gulf States by the Al-Diwan Al- Amiri and The Islamist Movements and Groups in Yemen by Falah Abdullah Al-Mudairess. And in his field of specialization, Dr Fakhrudin has also conducted many researches and studies.
He has worked as a journalist and published various articles and essays, and one of the most significant of which was the book review that he published in Majalat Al-Kuwait (Kuwait Magazine) in 2015 under the title of Impressions of James Bond’s Author about Kuwait where the late famous English writer Ian Fleming had visited it in 1960.
Dr Fakhrudin has also published professionally the English copy of Al-Kuwait Al-Youm (The Kuwait Today), the official gazette of Kuwait.