NOTE: This is a tentative outline of the material to be covered during the semester, subject to change according to student orientation, background, and needs.
Please check Moodle daily for homework assignments and handouts.
Please note that February 16 is a makeup day for the April 25 holiday.
Week 1 (January 15 - 17)
Introductions – What does a translator do and why is it important? Basic terminology;
Read Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 1: “Preliminaries to translation as a process;” chapter 2: “Preliminaries to translation as a product;” “Saving Lives and Protecting Rights in Translation” in Kelly and Zetzsche
Week 2 (January 22 - 24)
Cultural transposition and compensation – When a literal translation won’t work
Read Thinking Italian Translation, chapters 3 and 4; “Translation, Community, Utopia” by Lawrence Venuti, in Venuti
Week 3 (January 29 - 31)
The formal properties of texts: phonic/graphic and prosodic issues in translation - Read Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 5
Grammatical and sentential Issues in translation – Common pitfalls in translating Italian to English
Read Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 6
Week 4 (February 5 - 7)
The formal properties of texts: discourse and intertextual issues in translation - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 7
Literal meaning and translation issues - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 8
Week 5 (February 12 - 14 - 16)
Connotative meaning and translation issues - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 9
Language Variety: translation issues in register, sociolect, and dialect
Read Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 10; “The Search for a Native Language: Translation and Cultural Identity” by Annie Brisset, in Venuti; “The Politics of Translation” by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, in Venuti
Week 6 (February 19 - 21)
Textual genre and translation issues - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 11
Scientific and technical translation; Computer-assisted translation
Read Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 12
Week 7 (February 26 - 28)
Hand in/present midterm translation project.
Translating business and economics texts - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 13; “Doing Business and Crossing Borders in Translation” in Kelly and Zetzsche
Translating consumer-oriented texts - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 14
Week 8 (March 5 - 7)
Translating art and architecture texts
Week 9 (March 12 - 14)
Translating journalistic/media texts
Week 10 (March 19 - 21)
Translating political science and international relations texts
Read “Waging War and Keeping the Peace in Translation,” in Kelly and Zetzsche
Week 11 (March 26 - 28)
Subtitling films
APRIL 2 - 6: SPRING BREAK
Week 12 (April 9 - 11)
Subtitling films
Week 13 (April 16 - 18)
Translating for the web; translation or localization?
Read “Connecting the World and Advancing Technology in Translation” in Kelly and Zetzsche
Week 14 (April 23)
Revising and editing translation - Thinking Italian Translation, chapter 15