Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent (Belgium) are organising a colloquium on translanguaging in multilingual urban settings. The term "translanguaging" refers to the practice of switching between and across a range of languages and language varieties, including dialects, global registers, and youth language.
The colloquium on translanguaging will take place on 29 April 2016 at the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels.
Translanguaging as a new hybrid language system
The colloquium brings together experts working on translanguaging in different European multilingual urban settings. Speakers will approach the topic from various applied linguistic perspectives (e.g. sociolinguistics, language education, language planning, intercultural communication, literary translation).
"In this era of globalization and migration, multilingualism is an extremely common phenomenon in many urban contexts in the world. Many urban dwellers use more than one language or language variety on a daily basis. (...) Urban multilingualism is a fascinating yet complex phenomenon, and as such it requires thoughtful and research-based policymaking. To this end, it is crucial to examine the dynamics of translanguaging in urban settings closely and gain a better understanding of the interaction between language (education) policies and (trans)languaging practices."
Translation and interpreting training programmes
The colloquium will also feature a panel discussion in which former students of the applied linguistics department will focus on the tensions between language practices and language policies in multilingual urban settings such as Brussels, and the possible implications of this for future translators and interpreters.
"Both language practices and language policies will impact on the role of future translators and interpreters in these multilingual settings, and this may eventually also require changes in translation and interpreting pedagogy. This pedagogical perspective is particularly relevant for translation and interpreting training programmes."
The full conference programme is available on the website of the Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics.
More info about the colloquium can be found here: http://research.vub.ac.be/bial/translanguaging