Levý’s historical research, illuminating the development of translation theories and techniques in the Czech Lands, led to his two-volume publication České theorie překladu (CzechTranslationTheories), including the first known anthology of translators’ reflections on their work. His foregrounding of translator agency within changing historical contexts corresponds with modern trends in translation studies; nowadays this field can be extended to examine the role of translator associations and the status of translation professionals.
The development of translation theory as a scholarly discipline was also significantly advanced by Levý’s masterpiece Umění překladu (The Art of Translation), which applies systemic analysis and the functional approach to language and literature for the resolution of many practical problems of literary translation. Levý focuses on such topics as the polarities of translator decision-making, the influence of contemporary norms, the evolution of linguistic devices and translators’ use of colloquial language. His reflections are essentially interdisciplinary, bringing together insights from literary theory, comparative literature, linguistics, and the theory of verse. They are a source of inspiration for further research, not only in the field of translation studies, but also in the broader contexts of text analysis, pragmatics, and intercultural communication.
Whereas he worked in times of political constraint, Levý’s structuralist approach helped maintain and
develop international awareness of Czech academic scholarship. A notable feature of his work, and a source of continuing inspiration, is Levý’s application of quantitative methods to linguistic phenomena.
The purpose of the conference is to discuss Levý’s historical significance in the above-mentioned contexts, but also his legacy in contemporary academic research, highlighting the potential of his ideas as points of reference for new research developments. Firstly it will undertake a historical reflection on his work, and secondly it will seek to identify new applications of his approaches to contemporary philology, literary studies, theory of verse, comparative literature and linguistics.
