Dr. Claudia Otte Discusses Translation Work on One Thousand and One Nights at the University of Nizwa Panel
The University of Nizwa was honoured to have Dr Claudia Otte, a professor at the University of Göttingen, as a guest. The event was held under the auspices of Dr. Abdulaziz Al Kindi, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Dr. Otte headed a panel discussion on her latest translation work, which is the award-winning translation of the book One Thousand and One Nights.
During the panel, the speaker began by discussing the complexities of learning Arabic and German, acknowledging that they are both challenging languages to learn. She then went on to shed light on the historical background of translating Arabic literature into German. Next, she highlighted the origins of the book "One Thousand and One Nights," which is one of the oldest Arabic literary works that explores common tales and folklore.
An interactive panel was held, which was attended by prestigious professors from the College of Art and Science. They contributed to the success of the panel by giving their comments and asking questions. Some of the comments were focused on how the Western community was symbolized and the stereotypes based on the characters of the book. Dr Otte responded that these were a result of miscommunication between the two different cultures in understanding and differentiating the literary work from reality. Several students were present at the panel and witnessed the fruitful discussion.
During the panel, Dr. Otte discussed her methodology for translating literature, specifically books. She shared some very interesting and valuable insights with the audience, which were both fruitful and mind-blowing. Her approach to translation was well-received by the audience, who found it to be a valuable technique. Overall, Dr. Otte's presentation was informative and enlightening and left a lasting impression on those who attended.