Course aims:

Defining the main features of oral and written communication, of text production and reception (including scientific text from the humanistic domain), in English
Interpreting the relationship between the oral or written message and its context, explaining the argumentative methods as well as the techniques of the construction of the message in English
Organizing debates, constructing a study case and defending/indicating its structure

Course Entry Requirements:

B2, C1 English level

Course contents:

1. The Fundamentals (Why literary translation?; The uniqueness of literary translation; preparing to translate) 2. Techniques of translation ( Decisions at the outset: fluency and transparency; the author-translator- reader triangle; word for word or thought by thought) 3. What literary translators really translate; style in translation; fiction and footnotes. 4. Some notes on translating poetry (to rhyme or not to rhyme) 5. Other areas of literary translation (translating non-fiction; translating for the teacher; translating children’s literature) 6. Special problems in literary translation (English with a restricted vocabulary: a case study; working with subtext; indirect translation; the translator’s tools: references, how to use dictionaries for translation, electronic vs. printed dictionaries, dictionaries on the internet) 7. Final steps ( Proofreading, grammar checkers, verifying against the source language)

Teaching methods:

Analysis, explanation, translation practice

Learning outcomes:

Acquiring basic skills in some techniques of literary translation, tackling key issues of literary translation, using special resources and main translator's tools, verifying the translation outcome

Learning outcomes verification and assessment criteria:

Practical translation exam, portfolio of individual tasks as assigned, performed and with feedback

Recommended reading:

Baker, Mona (ed.), Routledge Encyclopaedia of Translation Studies. 2nd edition, London: Routledge, (1998) 2009,
Baker, Mona, In other words : a coursebook on translation, Routledge, 2011,
Newmark, Peter, A textbook of translation, Prentice HaH International, 1988,
Bassnett,, Translation Studies, Routledge, 2002,