Languages as Mirrors: Navigating Transnational and Translingual Writing

“Languages as Mirrors: Navigating Transnational and Translingual Writing”

October 30, 2024   |   5p.m.   |  NYS Library Auditorium  |  FYE Inspire Event 

We are delighted to welcome Prof. Amara Lakhous, Professor in the Practice in Italian Studies at Yale, to speak about “Languages as Mirrors: Navigating Transnational and Translingual Writing” on October 30, 2024 at 5pm in the DiMenna-Nyselius Library Auditorium, Room 101. Prof. Lakhous, author of several prizewinning novels, short stories, scholarly essays, and screenplays, constantly navigates between languages. His stories transcend boundaries --of language, gender, nationality, and citizenship—that often serve as tools of exclusion rather than inclusion. He also works closely with his translators, who, as his closest collaborators, are best positioned to refine the original text. According to Prof. Lakhous, aside from the author, no one engages with the text as deeply as translators do.

Born and educated in Algeria, Prof. Lakhous has published works in Arabic and Italian that have been translated into English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, Danish, Berber and Farsi. Prof. Lakhous sees the five languages he uses—Tamazight (his mother tongue), Arabic, French, Italian, and English—as mirrors, noting that “The reflection between these mirrors shapes a new vision and style, representing my path to creativity.” This polyglot author sees cultural fluidity as central to his work as a teacher, writer, and mentor.

This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Humanities Institute of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Art Institute, the department of Modern Languages & Literatures, and programs in Islamic World Studies and Italian Studies.

For more information, please contact Prof. Mary Ann Carolan, director of the Italian Studies program at mcarolan@fairfield.edu.

Students of all languages are welcome and encouraged to attend this event!