Corine Tachtiris is a professor of literature here at Antioch College. She holds an MFA in Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, and works to engage students in topics surrounding translation. This quarter, she held a translation workshop in conjunction with the Lit Wits writing group in the writing center, where she helped students translate small selections in their respective languages of study.
Corine translates in both Czech and French, but assists students in any language. In the workshop she led, she discussed with students the impacts of translation on literature, and in particular the effects that a translator or an editor has on the work they are translating or editing. She also talked about the various ways that people interpret a “good translation,” and what misconceptions people have about what that means. She says she sees translation as “a deeply ethical act,” where translators are speaking for others, and she says this is important in studying translation.
Corine has taught semester-long courses at other institutions, and hopes to incorporate similar programs here at Antioch. She imagines such a program manifesting here as a creative writing course, collaborating with the Antioch Language and Culture program as well. She says she’s also interested in working personally with students on their translation projects.
