4th International Conference on Community Translation (ICCT4)

We enthusiastically invite anyone involved in research, translation, or advocacy in any field to submit a proposal. Proposals can address a wide range of issues, challenges, emerging scenarios, and opportunities for research and development in Community Translation, which is defined as: “a service offered at a national or local level to ensure that the members of multilingual societies have access to information and active participation” (Taibi, 2016). Community translation is all about fostering fairness, diversity and inclusion among the people it serves. ICCT4 embraces this same mission.

We hope that this event will provide a forum for scholars, grassroots organizations, language service providers and community members to discuss global realities and highlight the unique aspects of local contexts.

The fourth edition of the ICCT will be held in Canada. Despite Canada’s deep understanding of the needs of translation services, thanks to its bilingualism, and of integration services for new immigrants, community translation (CT) remains underappreciated. This conference aims to shed light on the varied realities and perspectives of CT in Canada, helping to build a better understanding of its potential role in the country. Reflecting on the realities of CT in Canada also raises questions surrounding the status, perceptions and dynamics of languages in the country.

Potential questions include, but are not limited to:

• Can official language translation be considered community translation if the official language is highly underrepresented (ex. French in Alberta)?

• How does community translation apply to indigenous languages?

• How do community translation services differ from official language translation services in underserved settings?

• What are the implications of recognizing indigenous languages or minority official languages as languages of community translation services? Could this change the status of these languages?

These questions can also apply to other countries who are facing similar challenges.

The ICCT4 seeks to explore and (re)define the reality of community translation and language dynamics worldwide, with a particular focus on Canada.