KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee-s Marco Institute for Medieval and Renaissance Studies will host a workshop on the practices of editing medieval texts Feb. 3 and 4.
The workshop will be held Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Marco offices on UT-s campus.
Before the invention of printing, all books were handwritten and each was different, said English professor Roy Liuzza, the event-s organizer. Modern editors read and reproduce the original manuscripts in a modern book that the general public can read.
-If I want to read Beowulf or Chaucer, I-m not going to pull out the original manuscript. I-m going to read a book that has been edited by someone else,- he said.
-Editing is generally not taught in graduate programs anymore and certainly not in undergraduate programs,- said Liuzza. -People are coming into this skill on their own and creating new techniques in the process. I want this workshop to be a forum for people-s successes and frustrations with their work.-
Eight scholars will present their works in progress, discussing the original texts and their modern editions. Presenters include David Johnson of Florida State University, whose work is the Old English version of Gregory the Great-s -Dialogues,- and Leslie Lockett of Ohio State University, whose work is in Latin retrograde verse.
Representatives from various universities will also attend the workshop, including a group of graduate students from the University of Toronto, often referred to as the leading medieval studies program in North America.
Marco was founded in 2001 with a grant from the President-s Initiative in Teaching, Research and Service. Professors from several departments including English, history and religious studies comprise the faculty. Marco received official institution status from UT in 2004 and is funded by UT and a National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant received in 2003.
Sessions will be held on the second floor of Temple Court near the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and Volunteer Boulevard. UT students and faculty can attend individual sessions by calling Liuzza at 974-6970 or e-mail at rliuzza@utk.edu.
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Contacts:
Roy Liuzza (865) 974-6970 rliuzza@utk.edu
Elizabeth Burman (865) 974-3915 or eburman@utk.edu
Beth Gladden (865) 974-9008 or beth.gladden@tennessee.edu