In contemporary translation theory, two predominant perspectives shape the discourse: one posits that universals are translatable across languages through various foundational models, while the other adopts a post-foundational stance, viewing the inherent anarchy (an-arché) of language as integral to the enunciator and the contexts of enunciation and reception.

A pivotal development in this approach is the philosophical shift from the early 19th century, where the subject was seen as the center that transcendentally constitutes its own linguistically declared experience (Kant), to the understanding of language (translation between languages and within each of them) as what transcendentally constitutes the decentered experience of the subject (Wilhelm von Humboldt). In this context, thought and language are seen as non-appropriable potentialities. The translator’s “freedom” is neither arbitrary (appropriation) nor servile (fidelity) but is always intimately exposed to the strangeness of the other’s language—its lexical and syntactical formations, its musical and imaginative materiality, its contextuality and historicity, and its poetic forms of meaning.

Building on this perspective, which views language’s potentiality as a shared and non-appropriable entity, translation is framed as a contingent, experimental, and infinite process—ultimately undecidable and perpetually defective (Benjamin, Lezra, Hamacher). This seminar advocates for an experimental approach to translation that embraces the an-arché of language, striving to balance the singularity of experiences with the recognition of their unique and untranslatable aspects.

Barbara Cassin’s work on the untranslatable and the philosophy of language offers a critical framework for this seminar. Cassin’s exploration of the performative aspects of language and translation underscores the ethical implications of translation practices, emphasizing the importance of respecting linguistic and cultural diversity. Her reflections on the risks of pursuing universal communication—which may lead to the erosion of diversity—align with the seminar’s focus on the untranslatable and the challenges of representing singular experiences. By incorporating Cassin’s insights, the seminar will critically examine how translation intersects with philosophical and ethical concerns, and explore the implications for practice and theory.

We welcome approaches that critically engage with interdisciplinary topics in translation, including the impact of AI on human and machine translation, the (an)economies of untranslation, ethical concerns of untranslatability, and the relationship between translation, consciousness, and subjectivity. Other areas include psychoanalysis in translation, the role of translation in immigration, cultural memory, historical narratives, and philosophical shifts. We also invite exploration of language diversity, experimental translation practices, and the performative aspects of language.