Murder, Translation, and Translator: Elisha Kent Kane and the Libro de buen amor

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Texas Medieval Association (TEMA)

Organizer Name

Paul E. Larson

Organizer Affiliation

Baylor Univ.

Presider Name

Donald J. Kagay

Presider Affiliation

Univ. of Dallas

Paper Title 1

Meaning, Music, and Mirth in Elisha Kent Kane's Rendering of the Libro de buen amor

Presenter 1 Name

Carlos Hawley

Presenter 1 Affiliation

North Dakota State Univ.

Paper Title 2

Between Translatio and Betrayal: Meditations on Translating Medieval Literature

Presenter 2 Name

Emily C. Francomano

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Georgetown Univ.

Paper Title 3

"Love's truest troth's fictitious": On Value in the Libro de buen amor

Presenter 3 Name

Simone Pinet

Presenter 3 Affiliation

Cornell Univ.

Start Date

14-5-2017 8:30 AM

Session Location

Bernhard 204

Description

Elisha Kent Kane's 1933 English language translation of the Spanish medieval masterpiece, Libro de buen amor, is a recognized tour-de-force in translation art. A professor of Romance languages at Tennessee, he was involved in a sensational murder trial when he was tried for the murder of his wife. The prosecution used his translation as proof that he was disturbed enough to murder his wife. This session will reside on the intersection between professional practice, the art of translation, controversial subject matter, and sensational pop culture. Kane's translation of the LBA is a proposal for a paradigm for translation. Papers for this session would deal with translation theory, professional practice, the Libro de buen amor, and Elisha Kent Kane.

Paul Larson