AICLF 10 Highlights Cultural and Linguistic Dimensions of Translation
Aligarh : The inaugural day of the 10th Annual International Conference on Language and Linguistics (AICLF) at Aligarh Muslim University commenced with a series of discussions that underscored the cultural and linguistic complexities inherent in translation practices across India. The event, hosted by Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), brought together scholars, academics, and practitioners from across the nation to explore the challenges and rewards of translation in a multilingual society.
Keynote Address and Plenary-I Session was presided over by Prof. Pradeep K. Das, Head of the Department of Linguistics at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and moderated by Prof. Shabana Hameed from AMU. The session was held in the University Polytechnic Auditorium at AMU, Aligarh.
The session featured a keynote address by Prof. Rana Nayar, from the Department of English and Cultural Studies at Punjab University, Chandigarh. Prof. Nayar’s talk, titled “Theorizing Translation: Locating Newer Tropes in the Indian Context,” critically examined the dominance of Western translation theories in Indian Translation Studies. Prof. Nayar advocated for the development of Indian-specific translation theories and introduced the concept of ‘Kayakalpa’ as a potential alternative. Mr. Parvesh Sharma, Former Joint Director of Media and Communication, shared his experiences in a talk titled “Border Crossing Across Languages: Challenges and Rewards.” Mr. Sharma discussed the practical challenges of translation in India’s multilingual landscape, particularly focusing on the syntactic and cultural gaps encountered when translating between Punjabi, English, and Hindi. He emphasized the importance of intuition and practice over theory, highlighting how translation serves as a bridge not only between languages but also between cultures.
The first academic session of the day was chaired by Prof. Ajez Mohammad Sheikh, Head of the Department of Linguistics at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar. This session featured six paper presentations that delved into various aspects of translation, including cross-cultural communication, cultural semiotics in Bengali cuisine, and the challenges of translating idioms and proverbs from Maithili into English. The session also explored sociolinguistic perspectives in translation and the long-term impact of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on translation and education in multilingual India.
The second plenary session was presided over by Prof. Rizwan Khan from the Department of English at AMU and moderated by Mr. Masood Ali Beg, Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at AMU. Held in the University Polytechnic Auditorium, the session featured a presentation by Prof. Prasannanshu, Director of the Center for Linguistic Justice and Endangered Languages at National Law University, Delhi (NLUD). His talk, “Wealth of Folk Literatures Locked in Endangered and Lesser-Known Languages of India: Employing Translation as Cultural Bridge,” emphasized the importance of preserving endangered languages through translation. Prof. Prasannanshu discussed how translation can serve as a cultural bridge, safeguarding India’s rich linguistic heritage and contributing to the Indian Knowledge System (IKS).
Dr. Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi, Associate Professor at the Central Institute of Hindi, Agra, highlighted the importance of linguistic competence and cultural adaptation in achieving accurate and meaningful translations, particularly in the context of NEP 2020’s emphasis on mother-tongue instruction.
Day 2 of the conference commenced with the third plenary session, presided over by Prof. Vibha Sharma from AMU’s Department of Linguistics and moderated by Dr. Nazrin B. Laskar, Associate Professor in the same department. The session featured talks by Prof. Chandra Mohan Nautiyal from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, and Prof. Gangadhar Wanodhe, Regional Director of CHI, Agra, Hyderabad Center. The speakers addressed the role of translation in the NEP 2020, with Prof. Wanodhe discussing the implications for Indian languages.
This was followed by parallel academic sessions 2 and 3, chaired respectively by Prof. Pradeep K. Das from JNU and Prof. Abhinav K. Mishra from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The sessions explored a range of topics, including the application of discourse analysis in text translation, multilingual translation strategies for inclusive education under NEP 2020, and the role of translation in protecting trademarks in multilingual societies. Paper on the topic Pragmatics and Translation: A Complex Interplay was presented by Dr Saleha Zaini.
The fourth plenary session was presided over by Prof. Rana Nayar and moderated by Mr. Masood Ali Beg. The session featured talks by Dr. Vishakha Das and Dr. Abhinav K. Misra, who explored the intricate roles of translation in cultural and legal contexts. Dr. Das’s presentation offered a “thick description” of cultural narratives from lesser-known communities, highlighting the importance of preserving these stories through translation. Dr. Misra followed with a talk on the significance of translation in forensic linguistics, emphasizing the need for accurate translations to preserve cultural and pragmatic aspects in legal contexts. Prof. Nayar commended both speakers for their anthropological approach and the depth of their analyses.
The conference continued with academic sessions 4 and 5, chaired by Prof. Srikumar from the University of Lucknow and Dr. Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi. These sessions featured a total of 11 paper presentations, covering topics such as audio-visual translation, the impact of semiotic structures on translation equivalence, and the translation of Rajasthani folklore.
The final plenary session of the day was presided over by Prof. Rajneesh Arora from CIEFL, Lucknow, and moderated by Abdul Aziz Khan from AMU. The session’s speakers, R.C. Sharma and Prof. K. Srikumar, discussed the challenges of translating pain across cultures and the practice of translating technical terms in Malayalam.
The day concluded with the final academic sessions 6 and 7, which were chaired by Prof. Bhupinder Singh Khaira, President of the Punjabi Linguistic Association, Patiala, and Mr. Masood Ali Beg. A total of 17 papers were presented, collectively contributing to the ongoing discourse on translation and its role in multilingual and multicultural contexts.