Translation and Intercultural Communication

Posted on Updated on by mmarsicCategories:7. semestar - SMJER PREVODITELJSTVO, 9. semestar i naslovni - SMJER PREVODITELJSTVO

Course title: Translation and Intercultural Communication
Instructor: Dr. Snježana Veselica Majhut
ECTS credits: 5
Language: English and Croatian
Semester: 1st and 3rd term of graduate studies
Status: elective
Form of instruction: two  lectures and one seminar per week + e-learning
Assessment: continuous assessment components (50 per cent)  and a term paper (50 per cent)

OBJECTIVES: After finishing this course the students should  be able to: detect underlying  socio-cultural components of a text and deploy strategies for their most appropriate transposition; analyze the intercultural components of a text in the light of theoretical models and concepts; analyze and deploy various strategies in order to translate a text in a manner that respects cultural conventions; justify translation choices while maintaining a critical distance.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course addresses the following themes: various concepts of culture and their relevance for translation; intercultural competence; applicability of functionalist approaches to translation; text types and genres; culture-specific features of text types and their implications for translation; analysis of concrete text types; the impact of the implied reader on the translator’s decisions; coherence and cohesion of the source and target text.

MODE OF INSTRUCTION:
The course combines lectures and seminar work (2+1). The students are expected to read the literature before the lectures and participate in seminar discussions (both in class and in the virtual environment on http://omega.ffzg.hr/ (Moodle). The students are also expected to apply the acquired knowledge in assessed written assignments (analysis of the selected aspects of source and targets texts, commentaries on the advantages and disadvantages of certain strategies in particular communicative situations, etc.) and a term paper.  

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Regular attendance, preparedness for class, active participation in class and in e-learning, regular submission of assessed assignments. The final grade is based on the continuous assessment of particular course elements (attendance, active participation in class and in e-learning, timely submission of assessed assignments) and the term  paper.

OBLIGATORY READING:
Gambier, Y. 2013. “Genres, text-types and translation” in Handbook of Translation Studies. vol. 4: pp. 63–69

Hatim, B. 2009. “ Translating text in context“ in Munday, J. (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Translation Studies. New York: Routledge.

Hatim, B. and Munday, J. 2004. Translation: An Advanced Resource Book. New York: Routledge. (selected chapters)

Kelly, D. 1998.  “The translation of texts from the tourist sector: textual conventions, cultural distance and other constraints”.Trans: Revista de Traductologia. no. 2 (1998)
(DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24310/TRANS.1998.v0i2.2354

Trosborg, A. (ed.) 1997. Text Typology and Translation. John Benjamins Publishing (selected chapters)

ADDITIONAL READING:
Hatim, B. and Mason, I. 2005. The Translator as Communicator. London/New York: Routledge

Katan, D. 2009. “Translation as Intercultural Communication” in in Munday, J. (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Translation Studies. New York: Routledge.

Katan, D. Translating Cultures: An Introduction for Translators, Interpreters and Mediators https://www.academia.edu/7397391/14818510

Nord, C.  2000.  “Training Functional Translators”. Cadernos de Tradução.  ISSN 2175-7968, Florianópolis, Brasil.DOI: https://doi.org/10.5007/%25x

Tomozeiu, D., Koskinen, K. and D’Arcangelo, A. 2017.  (eds.)  Intercultural Competence for Translators. New York: Routledge (selected chapter ).

 

WEEK BY WEEK SCHEDULE

Week Topic
1 Introduction. Various concepts of culture and their relevance for translators. Discussion.
2 Intercultural competence. The importance of intercultural competence for translators.
3 The main principles of functionalist approaches to translation.
4 Applicability of functionalist approaches to concrete translation tasks.
5 Text types and genres.
6 Text coherence and cohesion.
7 Consolidation.
8 Culture-specific features of text types.
9 Culture-specific features of text types.
10 Analysis of text-type norms and conventions  in tourist brochures.
11 Analysis of strategies of translating “realia” in selected text types.
12 Analysis of text-type norms and conventions  in culinary texts.  
13 Analysis of text-type norms and conventions  in self-help literature.
14 Consolidation.
15 Feedback on term papers. Student feedback on the course.