De Chéticamp à K’jipuktuk : learning and living in translation

Abstract

The Third Space, a term coined by postcolonial critic Homi K. Bhabha, is a space in which binary conceptions of identity cease to exist. For a bilingual person, this space therefore offers the possibility of a hybrid conception of language and, consequently, of identity. Instead of demanding that a choice be made between English and French, for example, the Third Space makes it possible to embrace these two linguistic identities simultaneously. In this vein, Halifax is a Third Space which allows me to experience the triple paradox that is the anglo-franco-acadien and the corresponding aspects of culture and identity. My experiences as an Acadian, francophone and anglophone have profoundly influenced my conceptualization of language and, consequently, my translation practices. This led to the development of a feminist ethics of translation during the translation of the intercultural studies textbook. Like Bhabha’s Third Space, my translation rejected all binary conceptions of gender to instead use neutral terms. Some of these words and expressions are not often used in the target language, but it is only by using new innovative terminology that language can evolve and be more inclusive.