SML8012 : Translation Practice and Principles (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Myriem El Maizi
- Lecturer: Dr Helen Ferstenberg, Mrs Antje Moench, Dr Philippa Page, Dr JC Penet
- Other Staff: Dr Noelia Cacheiro Quintas, Ms Jessica Rainey, Mrs Elena Vignali, Mrs Carole Moore
- Owning School: Modern Languages
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 30 |
| ECTS Credits: | 15.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
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, post-editing, 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/post-editing texts in 2-4 genres
See timetabling information for further details.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | Present-In-Person |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 45:00 | 45:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 9 | 1:30 | 13:30 | Present-In-Person |
| Guided Independent Study | Skills practice | 1 | 41:00 | 41:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Present-In-Person |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Present-In-Person |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Present in Person |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 172:00 | 172:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Present-In-Person |
| Total | 300:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SML7001 | Translation and Interpreting Studies |
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 Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 120 | 1 | M | 30 | Unseen translation exam in PC cluster |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | A | 70 | Hand-in Translation (source-text length about 1000 words), with a 1500-word academic Commentary. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | Weekly homework (weeks 2-10) handed in to staff for feedback about every 2 weeks. |
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.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SML8012's Timetable