Critical Thinking in Translation

This is a workshop-style module on wider translation practice. The module is not language specific, and there will be various tutors, not only academics but also professional translators. Each tutor will discuss a different practical aspect of translation and pose a translation task, based on originals from various media, and covering both inter-lingual and inter-semiotic translation, e.g. language into art.

Students will learn critical thinking about practical translation and how to address the tasks above in their preferred language in their portfolio, translating from English and other language sources. Critical thinking will be developed in academic essay tasks.

Students who take this module need to take at least one practical translation and/or one language module. The translation language for this module must be within their portfolio of practical translations or language modules.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

• Appreciate the wide variety of approaches to and views on translation and underlying methods and theories.
• Learn about typical issues of translation practice and how to resolve them.
• Understand how professional translators perceive translation practices and methodologies and address specific tasks.

Workload

Total of 10 weeks teaching with 2 hours classroom contact per week.

Method of assessment

• One translation portfolio (400 words) translation in English to be submitted on day 5, week 4, term 2 (25%)
• One essay (2500 words) to be submitted on day 5, week 10, term 2 (75%)

Suggested reading

• Gyasi Kwaku Addae, African literature (French) -- History and criticism; Translating and interpreting; Bilingualism – Africa:  New York; Oxford : Peter Lang
• Ashok Bery, Cultural translation and postcolonial poetry
• Publisher: Basingstoke [England] New York: Palgrave Macmillan
• Jean Boase-Beier, Literary Translation: Redrawing the Boundaries: Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan
• Heekyoung Cho, Translation's forgotten history: Russian literature, Japanese mediation, and the formation of modern Korean literature: Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Asia Center
• Sameh Hanna, Bourdieu in Translation Studies: The Socio-cultural Dynamics of Shakespeare Translation in Egypt: Routledge
• Michael James Hutt, Himalayan voices: an introduction to modern Nepali literature: Berkeley: University of California Press
• Tak-hung Leo Chan, Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates: J. Benjamins
• Ana Rojo (ed), Cognitive linguistics and translation: advances in some theoretical models and applications: De Gruyter Mouton
• Nana Sato-Rossberg and Judy Wakabayashi (ed), Translation and Translation Studies in the Japanese Context: Bloomsbury
• Tina Steiner,Translated people, translated texts : language and migration in contemporary African literature: St. Jerome

Convenor(s)

Dr Gloria Lee

Disclaimer

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules