Cognition and Translatability (CaT)

The group Cognition and Translatability (CaT) has initially worked under the Title “Translating Europe across the Ages” and between 2015 and 2017 under the title “Culture, Translation and Cognition”.

The first years of its work were dedicated to the conceptualization of translation as key to understanding European Culture. Studies on Translation History as well as analyses of European narratives and discourses have been one main research focus and led to a wide range of books, articles and conferences.

In a second phase, the group addressed the cognitive dimension of culture and translation. On the assumption that culture shapes the mind, translation is the process in which this modulation can be observed. Translation as the negotiation of meaning across cultures is certainly a driving factor in our globalized world – and translatability a condition for any conviviality between cultures.

The dynamics of cognition and translatability will be the focus of research over the next years. Under the keywords Intramental Translation (introduced in recent publications by the group) and Cognitive Poetics (as an internationally established field of research), under the perspective of its translational dimension, the group seeks to offer interdisciplinary insights which should be relevant beyond a limited definition of the Humanities.

The new group established by CECC under the title Literature and the Global Contemporary emerged out of CaT and will certainly develop its activities in strong cooperation with it.

The conference series on Translation Studies will give continuity to one of CECC’s scientific landmarks, highly recognized nationally and internationally.

The group will further continue its strong international networking and its outreach activities, namely in the collaboration with the Health Institute at UCP or the Católica Languages and Translation.