A Day with Translation 2025 – German Studies Workshops
On March 18, 2025, the Faculty of Arts hosted the formal closing of the translation competition A Day with Translation, which was unique for two reasons: firstly, it marked the 20th anniversary of the event and secondly, it featured a completely new format. Instead of a full morning of lectures, participants were welcomed with just one introductory talk titled “Small Publishing House – A Path to Independence?”, delivered by Roman Tilcer, editor-in-chief at Medusa Publishing and a translator of fantasy literature.
After the opening lecture, participants could choose from a variety of parallel workshops, depending on which topics in translation or interpreting interested them the most.
Among those contributing to the workshops were Germanists, including Dr. Milan Pišl from the Department of German Studies and guest lecturer Dr. Petra Bačuvčíková from Tomas Bata University in Zlín.
Dr. Pišl introduced participants to the secrets of successful interpreting, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured interpreter’s notebook and the effective use of interpreting symbols – skills that interpreters must master and which, notably, artificial intelligence has yet to replicate. Participants were given the opportunity to practise this technique using audio recordings from interpreting courses at the department.
Dr. Bačuvčíková offered insight into the work of court translators and interpreters in the Czech Republic. Drawing from her own experience, she explained the specific demands and challenges of this profession, as well as its rewarding aspects. Participants could even test whether this career path might suit them by producing a "practise" court translation of their own.
For those who found the topic particularly engaging, Dr. Bačuvčíková also led a second workshop focussed on interpreting skills. Participants were introduced to basic types of interpreting and had the opportunity to reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of the profession through hands-on practise and group discussion.
We thank our colleagues not only for representing the German language so successfully and sharing valuable practical insights, but also for offering guidance and inspiration to pupils and students regarding their potential future paths. Our thanks also go to the competition participants and the teachers who supported their students’ involvement.
Congratulations to the winners listed below for their exceptional translations. However, even those who did not win should be proud – given the high level of competition, the results were commendable across the board. In fact, the “lowest” grade given in the high school category was a 2 (on a scale where 1 is best), making it essentially the second-highest rating. This reflects the growing quality of submissions, and we are already looking forward to next year’s competition.
Translations from German 2025
Updated: 15. 10. 2025
