Merck Korea launches social translating project

Glenn Young, third from right in the back row, managing director of Merck Korea, and Marla Stukenberg, fourth from left in the back row, executive director of the Goethe-Institut Korea, pose with translators who participate in the Merck Social Translating Project. / Courtesy of Merck Korea

By Kang Seung-woo

Merck Korea and the Goethe-Institut Korea have jointly launched the Merck Social Translating Project that will help translators and authors share understanding and exchange ideas with a new social practice in the digital space, the company said, Tuesday.

Since 2009, the top-tier science and technology firm has been introducing various Korean artworks to the world, using calendars as part of its corporate social responsibility program.

On the occasion of the 350th anniversary of Merck and 50 years of the Goethe-Institut Korea in 2018, Merck Korea, headed by Managing Director Glenn Young, agreed to cooperate on the literary project in partnership with the cultural institute to establish cross-border networks of translators for disseminating contemporary German literature in 10 Asian countries. Thus, editions in 10 different languages will be introduced at the Seoul International Book Fair and the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2018.

The 10 languages are Bengali, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Japanese, Korean, Marathi, Mongolian, Sinhalese, Thai and Vietnamese.

“The project’s focus is not only on translation itself but also, to enable communication such as sharing cultural understanding and an exchange of ideas directly between translators and with the author on a digital platform,” said Young.

“At the same time, this project will give good momentum to share Merck’s perspective on content and technology for future generations within the context of cultural particularism. We insist on staying curious and want to continuously improve ourselves: as a company, as an employer and as a responsible contributor to society.”

As a prelude to the project, 10 translators from Asia met at the Goethe-Institut Seoul on Monday and Tuesday and held a social translating discourse on renowned German author Thomas Melle’s book “The world at your back.”

“Translations play an important role in the work of the Goethe-Institut in making works of literature from German-speaking authors known abroad. With the Social Translating Project, we provide translators with an innovative tool for literary translation,” said Marla Stukenberg, executive director of the Goethe-Institut Korea.

“Translators and author Melle accepted our invitation to social translating with great enthusiasm. All are in the mood to break up the image of the lonely translator in the digital age. A group of outstanding translators were selected for the project through the Goethe-Instituts in Asian countries. An internet platform with social functions will be used for the project as it allows notes on the text of the e-book and consecutive comments by the participating translators and the author.”