The Ethics of the Footnote

What is a footnote for? Most readers think of footnotes as helpful additions to a translation. But they do more than provide information. They shape the reading experience, guide interpretation, and influence the relationship between reader and text. In this five-part series, we’ll explore one of translation’s most overlooked questions: where should meaning-making happen? Through examples from literary translation, including a close reading of Tao Yuanming’s famous poem Drinking Wine (V), we’ll compare different approaches to translation and examine the role that footnotes play in each. Rather than asking whether footnotes are good or bad, we’ll ask a deeper question. When does explanation enrich a text, and when does it begin to stand between the reader and the work itself? This series is for translators, writers, readers, editors, teachers, and anyone interested in how meaning is carried from one person to another. Includes: * Five pre-recorded video sessions (approximately 35 minutes total) * Companion reading materials * One live online discussion and Q&A * Lifetime access to the recordings and materials