Go behind the scenes of literary translation and discover how words travel from one culture to another, from the favelas of Rio to the pages of the French-speaking world... As part of the Saison Brésil-France 2025, Mathieu Dosse, literary translator from Portuguese, invites you to a translation workshop focusing on an unpublished text by Geovani Martins, a young Brazilian author emblematic of favela literature, on Saturday May 24, 2025 at the Bibliothèque Jean d'Ormesson, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The workshop is open to all, whether you're a beginner or an experienced Portuguese speaker, and is aimed at those wishing to better understand the challenges of contemporary literary translation.
Transposing the intense, colorful world of Rio's favelas into the French language is no ordinary exercise. How do you restore the energy of local slang without betraying it? Should we adopt the language of the Parisian suburbs, invent a hybrid French, or on the contrary, choose a more neutral style to preserve clarity? These are just some of the crucial questions raised by this workshop.
Through a text never before published in French by Geovani Martins, a rising figure on the Brazilian literary scene, you'll be invited to decipher the social and linguistic codes underlying the dialogues, rhythms and particular humor of this street language. It's a unique opportunity to get to grips with the complexity of a cultural universe far removed from your own, while honing your literary translation skills.
Whether you're a fan of Brazilian literature, a translation enthusiast or simply curious to discover a slice of urban Brazilian culture, this workshop is for you. In small groups, guided by Mathieu Dosse, you'll explore the many choices open to a translator: how to make a language "sparkle" without distorting it? How do you make the French-speaking reader feel the violence, tenderness, humor or tension of a dialogue written thousands of miles away, in a completely different context?
During this Brazil-France 2025 Season, the atmosphere will be studious yet convivial, conducive to exchanges, debates and language experiments. A great opportunity to practice, to listen, to propose, in a setting accessible to all. The only prerequisite: a little curiosity and a taste for linguistic challenges. Are you ready to listen to the voices of Rio and translate their power?
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Dates and Opening Time
On May 24, 2025
From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location
Jean d'Ormesson Library
3 Rue de Lisbonne
75008 Paris 8
Access
Metro line 2 "Villiers" station, line 9 "Saint-Augustin" station
Prices
Free
More information
By reservation only
