German@ Leeds Research Seminar: Prof David Gramling (UBC), “The Scene of Late Mono/Lingualism”

German@Leeds is proud to announce a discussion with Professor David Gramling

Literary Studies has been passionately involved over the past several decades in an all-out search for literary multilingualism, literary code-meshing, and the representation of multilingual experience in literary texts.

But what if there is something durably inherent – not innate, but inherent – in European literary (novelistic) forms that obstructs them from the unfettered access to the social relations that characterize multilingual life, relations which they so desire?

What if the historical and political construction of monolingualism has quite effectively barred such access, replacing it with forms of “linguistic tourism” (Matsuda), “language tagging” (Pandey), and “soft multilingualism” (Noorani)?

And what if that inherent construction of (literary) monolingualism is in fact fortifying in our current moment, rather than abating? David’s forthcoming book explores how literary texts themselves, particularly novels, respond to these prospects in their compositional moods and modes.

NB: This will not be a traditional talk - Prof Gramling is keen to discuss the concept of late mono/lingualism and its literary manifestations, based on the introductory chapter of his new book. He relies on the participants who have read the chapter to propel the conversation with their questions and comments.

Join us

If you would like to join us and discuss David's new project please email Prof. Ingo Cornils, i.cornils@leeds.ac.uk, who will add you to the TEAMs call and send you the chapter beforehand.