The Linguist

The Linguist 55,3

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26 The Linguist Vol/55 No/3 2016 www.ciol.org.uk REVIEWS Ben Jonson tells us that Shakespeare was "not of an age but for all time", and adds, "Britain, thou hast one to show to whom all Scenes of Europe homage owe". Anyone reading Andrew Dickson's book will quickly realise that the bard goes far beyond Europe; he puts a girdle round the earth and in almost every language, from Bengali to Zulu. There are attempts to keep as close to the original as possible (there are some wonderful observations of a Shakespeare competition at the Chinese University of Hong Kong), but in many cases the original is adapted for a local audience. The Taming of the Shrew in India becomes 'A Bad European Woman is Brought to Her Senses' (and that was back in 1852). Today, Bollywood is working its own brand of magic with more than a nod to the Shakespearean canon, though 10ml Love (2010) does diverge rather from A Midsummer Night's Dream. (The title is a reference to the potion that Puck puts on the lovers' eyes.) Shakespeare around the world has a long and complex history. In Japan, he became popular first with children because of Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare, which were translated into Japanese in the 1870s. More remarkable is the status of Shakespeare in Germany down the ages, not least during the Nazi period, when his plays were even put on during the War. Goebbels himself made strenuous efforts to portray the bard as a Germanic hero, though the translation of The Merchant of Venice did cause some difficulties. (Shylock's daughter is portrayed as his Christian ward, who is saved by her elopement with Lorenzo.) The Americans almost claim Shakespeare as their own (as well they might, given that the Folger Library in Washington holds no fewer than 82 copies of the First Folio and 119 copies of the Second, Third and Fourth). The bard has had a massive impact on popular American culture: West Side Story, Kiss Me Kate, The Boys from Syracuse and (very remotely) Salad Days all bear his indelible stamp. There is even a comic version of Othello called Goodnight Desdemona. Is Shakespeare universal because of his themes, or does his work have sufficient flexibility for his characters to be adapted and recognised the world over? For Shakespeare himself, all the world is genuinely a stage. Professor Tim Connell FCIL CIOL Vice-President Worlds Elsewhere: Journeys around Shakespeare's Globe Andrew Dickson Bodley Head 2015, 483 pp; ISBN 9781847923424S Hardback £20 With anticipation I made my way to Language Show Live in Glasgow. This was the first time the event had been held outside London and I hoped it was going to be a success in Scotland too. The two-day show was smaller than its London counterpart but no less impressive, with over 70 exhibitors, taster classes in 15 languages, and more than 60 seminars on teaching, careers, translation, interpreting, EFL/ESOL and cultural events. On Friday, the Gaelic and Scots Festival opened with speaker Dr Alasdair Allan, the Scottish Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages, providing reassurance that linguistic diversity was at the heart of the Scottish Government's education policy. This was evident by the programme of seminars, which focused on the 1+2 language learning policy that is being rolled out by Scotland's 32 local education authorities. I spent Friday visiting exhibitors, meeting people I follow on Twitter and buying language books. Chatting to one of the EU interpreters, I was awestruck as she explained how she maintained her four professional languages. A few hours spent volunteering on the CIOL stand brought home the need to expand our membership base in Scotland to embrace the vibrant educational, academic and commercial environment here. Saturday was my day to think about continuing professional development (CPD) in translation. I felt the seminars concentrated on newbie translators, so a lot of information wasn't applicable to me, but it was impressive to see the many capable young translators who will shape the profession. Jaquelina Guardamagna's session, 'Inspiring Confidence and Enhancing Credibility', focused on the importance of values and behaviours, and how these establish our reputation as much as our linguistic skills. Clients like working with translators they know as individuals. This idea was repeated in the session looking at 'Vendors' and Agencies' Perspectives', where personal interaction is one important way to becoming a preferred translator. By Saturday afternoon it was clear that the event had been a success and was well worth attending – it was motivating, inspiring and eye-opening. Next year's show is on 10-11 March, so I hope to see you there. Paul Kearns MCIL Language Show Live Scotland 2016 11-12 March 2016, SECC Glasgow UÉÉ~áB xäxÇàá

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