Translation in Cultural Terms: British Minor Cultures - MA Seminar 3

Master's seminars

Remote learning

The MA seminar centres on the translation of literary works belonging to Britain’s minor cultures, thus the literatures of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The analysis encompasses: linguistic and cultural specificity of the source texts, translation strategies, the place and significance of translations of these texts in the target culture, the critical reception thereof.

Third semester.

The seminar explores the question of translating literary works which belong to minor cultures within the linguistic and cultural terrain of the British Isles, thus the writings of Scottish, Irish and Welsh authors. The aim of the seminar is to develop students’ analytical skills, and especially their ability to analyse a literary text as translation material, or a literary text in translation, in the context of its linguistic and cultural identity and specificity. During our classes, we will discuss the cultural turn in contemporary translation theories: Descriptive Translation Studies (Gideon Toury), Polysystem Theory and Culture Theory (Itamar - Even-Zohar), the notion of refraction (André Lefevere) the idea of translation as the experience of the foreign (Antoine Berman), the strategies of foreignisation and domestication (Lawrence Venuti). Particular attention is given to the postcolonial perspective (Maria Tymoczko, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak). Students will expand their knowledge with regard to the internal linguistic and cultural diversity of the nations of the British Isles, and the role of literature in building national identity (here in the face of the dominant culture). These concepts serve as a starting point for an analysis of the strategies that Scottish, Irish and Welsh authors employ to mark, develop and define their linguistic and cultural distinctiveness, as well as of the functioning of these strategies in translation. We will discuss difficulties inscribed in the translation of texts which bear strong linguistic and cultural markers (and which are at the same time problematic due to their complex and ambiguous relationship with the dominant culture), po-tential translation solutions, and the reception and significance of translations of such texts in the target culture. The classes involve group discussions as well as individual presentations on the subject of one’s own choice (in the second half of the term).

The first term provides an overview on contemporary translation theories. The second term’s analysis (from the perspective of linguistics, literary and cultural studies) focuses on the way Scottish, Irish and Welsh works function in translation; we will discuss both untranslated texts and existing translations (students’ interests will be taken into account). In the third term, the students will present their own research projects, including work-in-progress reports on the successive chap-ters. The fourth term, adjusted to the students’ individual needs, will involve one-on-one meetings, where each student’s work is discussed.

Baker, Mona ed. (1997) Routledge Encyclopaedia of Translation Studies, London & New York: Routledge.

Bassnett, Susan (1991) Translation Studies, London: Routledge.

Bassnett, Susan and André Lefevere (1998) Constructing Cultures. Essays on Literary Translation, Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Berman, Antoine (2000 [1985]) “Translation and the Trials of the Foreign”, trans. Lawrence Venuti, in Lawrence Venuti (ed.) The Translation Studies Reader, London & New York: Routledge, 284-297.

Bukowski, Piotr i Magda Heydel red. (2009) Współczesne teorie przekładu, Kraków: Znak.

Cronin, Michael (2003) Translation and Globalization, London & New York: Routledge.

Even-Zohar, Itamar (2000 [1975/revised 1990]) “The Position of Translated Literature within the Literary Polysystem”, in Lawrence Venuti (ed.) The Translation Studies Reader, London & New York: Routledge, 192-197.

Even-Zohar, Itamar (1997) “ The Making of Culture Repertoire and the Role of Transfer”, Target, 9 (2), 373-381.

Gentzler, Edwin (1993) Contemporary Translation Theories, London & New York: Routledge.

Jarniewicz, Jerzy (2012) Gościnność słowa. Szkice o przekładzie literackim, Kraków: Znak.

Jarniewicz, Jerzy (2018) Tłumacz między innymi. Szkice o przekładach, językach i literaturze, Wrocław: Ossolineum.

Korzeniowska, Aniela (2013) “’Scotland Small? Our Multiform, Our Infinite Scotland Small?’ Scotland’s Literary Contribution to the Modern World” in Colloquia Humanistica 2, 37-58.

Korzeniowska, Aniela (2008) Translating Scotland. Nation and Identity, Warsaw: University of Warsaw.

Sommer, Piotr (ed.) (1995) Literatura na świecie nr 7/1995, Szkoci, Warszawa.

Sommer, Piotr (ed.) (2009) Literatura na świecie nr 07-08/2009, Walia, Warszawa.

Toury, Gideon (2000 [1978/revised 1995]) “The Nature and Role of Norms in Translation” in Lawrence Venuti (ed.) The Translation Studies Reader, London & New York: Routledge, 198-211.

Venuti, Lawrence (1995) The Translator's Invisibility. A History of Translation, London & New York: Routledge.

Venuti, Lawrence ed. (2000) The Translation Studies Reader, London & New York: Routledge.

Walkowitz, Rebecca L (2017) Born Translated. The Contemporary Novel in an Age of World Literature. New York: Columbia University Press.

Knowledge

The graduate will be able to:

K_W01 Identify and characterize on an advanced level the place and status of translation studies with reference to British minor cultures

K_W02 Describe on an advanced level the current trends in translation studies research within English studies

K_W04 Characterize on an advanced level the principles of research design in culture-oriented translation studies (in reference to British minor cultures), with special focus on the application of methods and tools in formulating research problems and testing translation studies hypotheses

K_W05 Identify the notions and principles pertinent to intellectual property and copyright, especially in reference to literary translation and translation studies

K_W06 Characterise economic, legal and other factors relevant for various kinds of professional activities related to literary translation and translation studies

Abilities

The graduate is able to:

K_U01 Apply advanced terminology and notions pertinent to the discipline of culture-oriented translation studies

K_U02 Apply advanced research methodology within culture-oriented translation studies, respecting ethical norms and copyright law

K_U03 Apply knowledge obtained during the course of studies to account for and solve a problem, thereby completing a research task related to culture-oriented translation studies

K_U04 Analyze linguistic, literary and cultural phenomena occurring in literary translation and draw generalizations on their basis in the context of societal, historical and economic factors on an advanced level

K_U05 Discern alternative methodological paradigms within the discipline of translation studies

K_U06 Find information in various sources and critically assess its usefulness for research related to the topic of the MA project in culture-oriented translation studies

K_U07 Use modern technology in the process of learning about translation studies and communicating with academic teachers, colleagues, representatives of various institutions and fellow participants in classes and projects, applying various channels and techniques of communication

K_U09 Present knowledge of culture-oriented translation studies in a coherent, precise and linguistically correct manner in English on level C2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, ensuring an appropriate register and form

K_U011 Design one’s own development in culture-oriented translation studies

Social competences

The graduate is ready to:

K_K02 Apply knowledge and skills obtained during the course of studies within the field of translation studies to undertake lifelong learning, as well as personal and professional development

K_K03 Take responsibility for performing one’s professional duties, with due respect for the work of others, obey and develop the ethical norms in professional and academic settings related to translation studies

K_K04 Assess critically one’s own knowledge and skills related to culture-oriented translation studies.

Students get their credit based on regular attendance, active participation in discussions and completing their MA dissertations.

During the first semester students are required to give one oral presentation. By Easter, the first draft of their MA dissertation should be submitted. The first chapter has to be handed in by the end of the second semester. Successive chapters have to be submitted at regular intervals so that by May in their fourth semester students are bringing their work to a close.