Multilingual Translation Workshop

What is a Multilingual Translation Workshop?

Each year, since we started in 1987, the Hopkins Literary Festival has run an innovative Multilingual Translation Workshp. This programme evolved in part, as a reflection of the linguistic and cultural diversity of our visitors. Why does Hopkins's poetry fascinate people of all ages adn backgrounds? (We have our parallel Youth Programme), cultural and linguistic groupings?

In part, it may be the simple fact that everyone finds a Hopkins poem challenging. Difficult. So, a diversse group of enthusiasts on,usually a sunny July day, will spend a half day, under careful guidance from our Workshop Director, teasing out together the difficulties and diversities to fuse all efforts into an acceptable version of the chossen pem.

Past Directors of this experimental workshop include: William Adamson (German); Miho Takahashi (Japanese); Diarmuid Johnshon (Irish, Welsh, German); Aleksandra Kedzierska (Polish, English); Youngmin Kim (Korean/English) and more. Just because we are lucky to have such linguists to guide and insppire, don't be put off: our participants in the Youth Programme join in and can make valuable contributions. This is for everyone interested in language, culture, Hopkins poetry.

A side-effect of this exercise is that most acquire a more profound undestanding and appreciation of at least one Hopkins poem!

Each year a poem is selected, usually a sonnet. Visitors are invited to consider a version of this poem in their language. Some work on the whole poem. Some try a line, a phrase.All is wonderful and prepares them for the Multilingual Worksop.

This year the selected poem is:

About The Gerard Manley Hopkins Society

In 1987, The Gerard Manley Hopkins Society Ltd. was founded to celebrate and foster the poetry the Victorian poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins (obviously!) and, in particular, his association with Co. Kildare and Ireland. Each July, in Newbridge College, The Hopkins Society also celebrate Hopkins's interest in Music, Painting and the Arts and even in Conservation.

Poem for 2015 In the Valley of the Elwy | Hopkins Poem in German |Carrion Comfort |

Felix Randal |Multilingual Translation Workshop 2008 | That Nature is a heraclitean fire |No Worst There is None |

Pied Beauty | The Windhover | Multilingual Translation Workshop