Translation as History in the Caribbean: Competing Perspectives

Dr. Christopher Mellinger from University of North Carolina at Charlotte will discuss two approaches to translation history – one that traces our understanding of translation as a practice of cross-language writing and communication, and another that questions the role that translation played in colonial times and spaces. Focusing on Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War and its early years as a U.S. territory as a case study, this presentation examines the multi-faceted nature of translation in Hispanophone newspapers published at the turn of the twentieth century.  Examples from a range of historical sources will be provided to discuss how translation is often a tacit companion to history.