Newcastle University

Pre Requisite Comment

None

Co Requisite Comment

None

Aims

1.       For students to gain a broad knowledge of the key theoretical and practical issues involved in professional translation.
2.       In one of up to eight B>>A-language* combinations (English>>French, English>>German, English>>Italian, English>>Spanish, French>>English, German>>English, Italian>>English or Spanish>>English), for students to:
•       Develop professional-level text-analysis, translating and translating-teamwork skills in 2-4 professional genres.
•       Gain an analytic and reflective understanding of their own and others’ translation practice, as a basis for further professional development.
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*A-language is the translator’s language of main use (typically the mother tongue), and B-language the language of secondary use (typically a foreign or second language).

Outline Of Syllabus

•       Academic writing for translation studies: translations, commentaries, referring to sources
•       Equivalence, translating/interpreting factors & distances
•       Translation/interpreting and semantic meaning
•       Translation/interpreting and pragmatic meaning
•       Translation/interpreting and discourse
•       Translating processes & strategies
•       Culture, domestication, foreignisation
•       Quality and the translation/interpreting professional
•       Skopos, function and norms
•       Loyalty and creativity
•       Analysing and translating texts in 2-4 genres
See timetabling information for further details.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Students should:
•       Have a good working knowledge of the key concepts used to describe translation processes.
•       Understand the role of discourse and rhetoric in constructing messages, particularly in 2-4 key translation genres (e.g. Journalism, Publicity, Science & Technology, Law, Business & Finance, Medicine, Technology), and how message structures can vary between languages.
•       Understand the linguistic and cultural factors which determine how messages are constructed, and the implications that this has for translating.
•       Understand how texts convey meaning on multiple levels, and the implications that this has for translating.
•       Be aware of the role of the translator/interpreter as a cultural mediator.
•       Be aware of the psycholinguistic and practical processes of written translation.
•       Be aware of terminology management and quality assurance issues, including the role of reference sources and human informants.
•       Be aware of referencing and academic-writing conventions for “translation + commentary” tasks.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Students should:
•       Be able to analyse source texts for translation issues and problems.
•       Gain a broad and explicit toolkit of practical translating strategies.
•       Be able to evaluate, select and use dictionaries, on-line resources, other reference materials and human informants to improve translation output.
•       Be able to produce starter-professional-quality translation texts, particularly in the 2-4 key translation genres (e.g. Journalism, Publicity, Science & Technology, Law, Business & Finance, Medicine, Technology).
•       Have starter-professional-level translation editing skills.
•       Develop good source-text informant skills and cooperation skills with translators working in the opposite language direction.
•       Be able to evaluate and reflect critically on their own and others’ translating practice, both orally and in writing.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

A module talk introduces students to the module and explains learning/teaching methods. Lectures give a grounding in the key theoretical and practical issues involved in translation, and enable students to engage with the required knowledge-base. Workshops give training in commentary-writing, reference skills and genre analysis, and link principles input to students’ own translations. Small-group Practicals give lecturer input on translation skills development, and develop written communication and problem-solving skills. Student-led groupwork consolidates and further develops translation and translation-advisory skills, and develops a range of key skills (e.g. planning and organising, initiative, teamwork).

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

All assessments test students’ text-analysis, translation research and translating skills. The Portfolio commentary also tests the translation-studies knowledge outcomes of the module and their reflective integration with translation practice. Weekly homework texts are crucial for skills development.

General Notes

N/A