Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society upcoming events

Mother Tongue in Other Tongues: Life in Translation, a Public talk by Translator Aron Aji (11/10/2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Aron Aji cannot recall a time when he was not translating. Growing up in Turkey among Ladino, Hebrew, and French used at home and then, from elementary school on, in Turkish—and studying in English later—he learned to move between languages long before he began translating Turkish literature. In this talk, Aji asks what that lifelong experience brings to the page. What happens when English meets a Turkish text on its own terms? How might the text stretch English’s rhythms and expressive habits, rather than simply fit into them? Aji calls his approach “acoustic translation”: an act of close listening that draws on memory, sound, and the senses to recreate the experience of a work in another language. Translation, in this account, is a way of hearing a text—and of finding one’s way back to the languages of one’s life.

About the speaker: Aron Aji has published ten book-length translations of modern and contemporary Turkish literature, alongside numerous translations of poetry and prose. His translation of Bilge Karasu’s The Garden of Departed Cats won the National Translation Award, and his co-translation with Selin Gökçesu of Ebru Ojen’s Lojman won the 2024 Republic of Consciousness Prize. His translations also include works by Murathan Mungan (with David Gramling) and Ferit Edgü. His most recent translation of Edgu’s landmark novel, A Season in Hakkari, will be published in 2027. For many years, Aji directed the University of Iowa’s Translation Programs; he is a past president (2016-2019) of the American Literary Translators Association.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the website here.

***Please note this event is not organized or sponsored by NOTIS. For any questions, please contact the event organizers.***

Literary Translation Feedback Forum (11/19/2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Literary translators will gather virtually to share their works in progress and accept helpful feedback and questions from attendees. We welcome all languages and genres. To share your work, reserve a spot by emailing Lola. All source languages and genres are welcome!

This event will be held on Zoom. After you register, check your confirmation email for login details.

For more information about the Northwest Literary Translators, join our Facebook group or visit our website.

Northwest Literary Translators Holiday Potluck (12/17/2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Join the Northwest Literary Translators for our annual end-of-year celebration and book exchange! Friends old and new will gather at Folio for some holiday cheer. Please bring a beverage and/or a hot or cold dish to share, and a wrapped, translated book for our exchange. Your gift can be your own translation or somebody else's work, brand new or used off your shelf, as long as it's one you would recommend to friends.

Can you entertain us with a holiday reading or carol? Can you teach us a new toast? All entertainment ideas are welcome!

Visit Folio's website for useful tips on how to find us!