Introduction to English-Polish Translation

obligatory courses

The aim of the course is to provide students with basic skills in English - Polish translation, including translating texts, making optimum choices in the context given, editing the target text in accordance with the stylistic requirements of the target language and with the linguistic conventions thereof as well as with pragmatic conventions of writing certain text types, using the translator's tools, such as dictionaries and sources of non-linguistic knowledge. Students also find out about criteria for assessing translation, as their own class work and homework is subject to assessment. Texts selected for translation exercises cover a variety of topics. The course ends with a written test in which students are required to translate a text, or text fragments. The final grade is calculated on the basis of two components: the average grade for home assignments and the test result.

The course is part of the Practical English programme taught at the Institute of English studies. The course is practically oriented so most of the class time is devoted to translating texts from English into Polish, and subsequently discussing the output of these activities. The selection of texts for translation is constantly updated by the course instructors, who may choose texts at their own discretion using books, magazines, or newspapers as sources. Consequently, the actual body of texts may vary from one class instructor to another and from one term to another. However, all texts selected for exercises should meet certain standards, namely, they should be written in general English (rather than English for Special Purposes), they should cover a variety of topics ranging from culture, social life, politics and other current issues, film/book criticism, to academic problems. The texts should also address the most frequent translation problems related to the following:

- Structural differences between languages occurring at various levels of language analysis, i.e. word formation, syntax, text coherence, and the necessity to compensate for the categories which are non-existent in the target language;

- Different conventions of writing certain types of texts, such as a letter, or a review, in the source and target language, respectively;

- Stylistic requirements of the target language;

- Untranslatability or limited translatability due to the differences in the cultural settings between the source text recipient and the target text recipient;

- Non-equivalence of lexical items, "false friends";

- Preserving special features of the source text, such as ironical or humorous tone.

Every text should be representative of some of the problems mentioned above in varying proportions. Apart from translating and discussing texts in the class, students are also given home assignments which are subsequently evaluated and analysed. The course is meant to highlight translation problems and guide students toward possible solutions, by presenting various translation strategies. Besides, students learn how to use various kinds of dictionaries (linguistic sources) and other sources of general knowledge necessary to understand a text. Discussing and analyzing the products of students' translation, i.e. class work and home assignments provides an opportunity to get familiar with the criteria for translation assessment.The course ends with a written test in which students are required to translate a text, or text fragments. The final grade is calculated on the basis of two components: the average grade for home assignments and the test result.

The practical part of the final evaluation may include ad hoc (oral) translation of texts shown online as well as simultaneous interpreting.

Baker, Mona (1992) In Other Words, Routlege, New York, London.

Duff, Alan (1989) Translation, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Hejwowski, Krzysztof (2006) Kognitywno-Komunikacyjna Teoria Przekładu, PWN Warszawa.

Korzeniowska, Aniela, (1998) Explorations in Polish-English Mistranslation Problems, WUW, Warszawa.

Korzeniowska, Aniela & Piotr Kuhiwczak (1994) Successful Polish-English Translation: Tricks of the Trade, PWN, Warszawa.

Lipiński, Krzysztof (2004) Vademecum Tłumacza, Idea, Kraków.

Newmark, Peter (1995) Approaches to Translation, Prentice Hall International, London, New York.

Piotrowska, Maria (1997) Learning Translation - Learning the Impossible? Universitas, Kraków.

Tabakowska, Elżbieta (1999), O przekładzie na przykładzie, Znak, Kraków.

Students will develop an understanding of fundamental problems in practical translation work from English to Polish. Students will gain an understanding of problems of fidelity, accuracy and stylistic quality (particularly register and phraseology). Students will know how to handle basic translation problems.

Code reference: K_W07, K_U0 5,12,13

K_W07 has basic knowledge of translation theories and is aware of complexities of the translation process.

K_U05 is able to monitor and diagnose the correctness of the Polish and English languages in use.

K_U012 is able to recognise cultural symbols and use cultural codes in interpersonal and intercultural discourse.

K_U013 is able to find information in different sources, evaluate its relevance and interpret it for theoretical and practical purposes in the context of English studies.

Written translation assignments (usually three or more). Alternative arrangements involving other translation projects may be proposed by students or instructors. Details concerning the form of the final evaluation (written, oral or both) are given at the beginning of the semester by a specific group teacher.

The retake consists in translating new extra texts equal in number to the translations the students failed to submit and/or for which s/he received negative grades. The submitted translations must obtain positive grades.

Two or three (to be determined by a specific group teacher) formally justified absences are allowed.