The two days of medical presentations, terminology sessions, and practical workshops will wrap with a translation slam.
First held during the 2016 SAM, the translation slam was so popular amongst attendees that it was held again just as successfully in 2018 and in 2023. So the Organising Committee decided to make it a permanent fixture in the SAM programme.
What’s a translation slam?
It's a sort of friendly ‘duel' between two translators. They translate the same text independently and without consulting each other. On the day of the slam, they present their finished work before an audience—and each other—and compare and discuss their strategies and choices. The audience is encouraged to ask questions, make comments, offer suggestions, and share their own translations.
Although the word ‘slam' suggests a competition, there are no winners or losers. It's all done in good fun. Nobody wins a prize and nobody's work is disparaged. In fact, the whole point is to share insights, compare viewpoints, and demonstrate that there is no “definitive” translation. And in so doing underscore the win-win nature of collaborative work among experts.
The texts and slammers’ names will be provided to attendees before SAM starts.
In the meantime, you can download the EN>FR translations slams from 2023.
For more information on how translation slams work, check out this video (in French) Danse avec les mots – Joutes de la traduction.