The archaeologist Clemente Marconi was hired a few years ago as an assistant professor at Columbia University, without even having a publication in English in his pocket. Of course, the English knew. And gradually rising to the full professorship and then to the top of New York University he then wrote several essays in English. Obvious. First, however, I miss one. And discovering that from now on, in Italian universities, teachers will not be able to include their works in French, German or Spanish (and all other languages) in the curriculum at the competitions, he bursts out laughing: I can’t believe it! as if the aspiring commissioners confessed that they were not up to par …
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Sworn translations
Only foreign works translated into Italian or English will be accepted. Some say: a nuisance, having to translate your publications that elsewhere are a sign of distinction. Macch, a home translation will not be enough: the translations must be sworn. As if they were land registry documents recovered in Bulgarian or Indonesian archives. After a deluge of visa … seen … seen …, the rules of the announcement for the competition for the new round of National Scientific Qualification established by the Directorial Decree n.553 of 26 February of the Miur say so. Where, as Professor Paolo Liverani denounced on the portal roars.it, a news immediately catches the eye: art. 2 paragraph 4, lett. b), in fact, it is prescribed that candidates must upload the pdf of the publications on the ministerial platform and “where the publication is written in a language other than Italian and / or English, the sworn translation of the publication in a single file”.
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The lingua franca
Why? The first suspicion, Liverani replies, that the idea comes from those who think they are familiar with hard sciences, where English is the lingua franca. I emphasize: “thinks you have”, which is different from having. Because even the most convinced supporter of English as a lingua franca – but with a minimum of familiarity with university issues – would have been careful not to formulate such a vulgar norm due to its devastating consequences. Example? If it is true that necessarily those who handle certain topics must at least know how to read German, Italian, English, French and Spanish, as it is expected that Italy will attract brains from abroad if then ask a native Germanist. German not to present its qualifications in the language and culture it deals with, except through a clumsy translation? Because, mind you, we ask for a sworn translation, the one required for documents and public deeds (for example, a marriage certificate) for which there are specialized translators, but who unfortunately understand nothing of German literature, Greek archeology, history medieval.
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Costs
Question: like this sworn translation? Some like the translated.com group offer translations in 186 languages. Do you want a quote? Consider that your name is Karl Marx, that you aspire to a professorship in an Italian university and that you have to translate the Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei written with Friedrich Engels from German. Words to translate: 9684. To understand: only one third more than the notice of the Miur we are talking about. An essay that in today’s editorial layouts would take up 45 pages. A booklet to put in your pocket. An accurate translation would cost two weeks and 1300 euros. After that the original (paper!) In German and the translation (paper!) In Italian must be taken to a certain office in Piazzale Clodio or some other Palace of Justice where the officials check a few pages on a sample basis. Incipit of the Manifesto in German: Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa, das Gespenst des Kommunismus …. In Italian: A specter roams Europe: the specter of communism …. And so on.
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