Volume 3, No. 1.
INContext: Studies in Translation and Interculturalism
Having entered the third year since our inauguration in 2021, INContext presents seven insightful research articles to suit its goals of providing a fresh perspective to look at familiar phenomena and to extend a broader understanding of the issues at hand.
The Special Article Reception and Translation of Korean Media in the UK and British Media in Korea (Jonathan Evans & Jinsil Choi) discusses the current state of the production and reception of media content in Korea and the UK and stresses the significance of translation, which enables access to foreign cultures. The authors suggest pulling together film studies, fan studies, and translation studies to further mutual exchange and sustainable media industries in both countries.
The Consequence of Fully Remote Interpretation on Interpreter Interaction and Cooperation (Clare Donovan) shows how to extend the scope of interpretation research by introducing a new look into the psychological and professional aspects of interaction among interpreters. Having observed a sharp rupture in the customary on-site teamwork since the ever-increasing use of remote interpreting in terms of professional cohesion and feeling of belonging to the profession, the author emphasizes the need to examine the impact of remote interpreting on interpreters and the profession. Reverse Engineering: A fresh perspective on defining translation and remodeling the process (Roger T. Bell & Zubaidah Bell Ibrahim) proposes a new translation procedure, i.e., Translation as Reverse Engineering (TARE). Having stressed the crucial role of efficient reading in the procedure and the translator’s need to have a high level of competence not only as a writer of a reconstructed text but also as a reader of a deconstructed text, the authors describe and give demonstrations of the procedure using three short texts. Italicization of Translated Korean Literature and Korean Diasporic Literature (Hyun-Kyung Lim) compares Korean novels translated into English and Korean diasporic non-translated English novels to see differences in the use of italics. Other than foreign words predictably being the most italicized category, the author reports that the use of phatic/expressive italics is significantly predominant in the non-translated corpus, reflecting the relative freedom of original authors to express a sense of otherness and diasporic identity.
Hanga and Manga: The aesthetic revolution in the postwar Japanese popular culture (Tsutomu Tomotsune) introduces Nakawaza Keiji’s Barefoot Gen: Life After a Bomb in relation to the popular woodcut movement in Japan following the country’s defeat in 1945. The author draws our attention to the connections between the agonizing individual experiences of atomic bomb victims and the public struggles, vengeance, and socio-ethical justice, the issues raised by the Enlightenment and socialists’ fine arts movement. Benefits of Processes of Cultural Interaction (Laurent Metzger) reports on real diversity and a richness of cultural endeavors by different countries to promote intercultural exchanges. Comparing the drives along these lines to the famous trade routes of history, the author discusses various intercultural initiatives by South Korea and other Asian countries, observing how they are adopted and enrich different societies. Last but not least, Contemporary Fine Arts of Uzbekistan (Kamola Akilova) presents an overarching picture of the evolution of fine arts in Uzbekistan since the national arts school was founded in Uzbekistan in the 1920s. The author analyzes and classifies the main trends from realism, decorative art, associative-metaphorical direction, and postmodernism. In conclusion, the author draws our attention to how to preserve national identity while integrating it into modern world culture.
Recently, the World Health Organization’s plan was revealed to end the Covid-19 Emergency Declaration. Many signs are beginning to emerge to hint at more comprehensive first-hand exchanges in every aspect. We at INContext sincerely hope this also becomes true in academia, with INContext serving as another constructive hub.
Cheong Ho-Jeong
Editor-in-Chief