A Translation-Commentary Thesis: Some Reflections

The translation and commentary format is relatively new at PhD level and in this talk I will discuss my experience of doing a translation and commentary PhD and share some of my reflections on the process. I will begin by giving a brief overview of my thesis, which uses the philosophy of Giles Deleuze to develop a theory of literary translation based on difference in parallel to the translation of Parts 0, 1 and 2 of the novel A fuego eterno condenados (1994) by the Chilean author Roberto Rivera Vicencio, which deals with events surrounding the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile from 1973–90. Having done this, I will go on to discuss the practicalities of carrying out the research, beginning with the choice of text and the relationship between the theoretical and practical components, then moving on to consider aspects such as making the most of co-supervision, publishing opportunities (including copyright issues), working abroad and establishing a relationship with an author, before closing with a few remarks on the viva process and some time for questions.

James Kelly, PhD Candidate in Translation Studies, University of Edinburgh