Textual Aspects of Translation

obligatory courses

The aim of the course is to provide students with an opportunity to practice their and writing and reading in English through translation as well as to develop their translation techniques and awareness of translation problems. The focus is on translating from Polish to English. The course is meant to highlight the problems of translation at the level of text, e.g. cohesion and coherence, the functioning of grammar and lexis as means of achieving cohesion, style and register characteristic of various types of text, differences in the convention of some text types between Polish and English. The texts chosen for practice represent a variety of genres to exemplify the variety of factors that influence the shape of the translated text and of various possible strategies of solving translation problems. The course ends with a written test in which students are required to translate a text. The final grade is an average of 2 components: grade for coursework and result of the final test.

The course is part of the Practical English syllabus taught at the Institute of English Studies. It can be taken optionally by third year students as a continuation of previously offered translation courses. The focus is on translating from Polish to English. The aim is to provide students with an opportunity to further practice their reading and writing skills in English through translation as well as to develop their translation techniques and awareness of translation problems. The course is meant to highlight the textual problems of translation, e.g. cohesion and coherence, the functioning of grammar and lexis as means of achieving cohesion, style and register characteristic of various types of text, differences in the convention of some text types between Polish and English, etc. The selection of texts to be translated is constantly updated by course instructions and the actual body of texts worked on may vary from term to term and from one class instructor to another. The types of texts exemplified may include e.g. academic texts on various topics, essays, journalistic texts, literary prose, advertisements, film subtitles, to rise students' awareness of the variety of factors that influence the shape of the translated text and of various possible strategies of solving translation problems.

The course is practically oriented, with most of the class time spent on translating and discussing the output and on analyzing examples of translated texts. Students also further explore the use of various sources of knowledge necessary to interpret source texts and to produce coherent, stylistically adequate target texts. Apart from in-class exercises in translation and discussions, students are given home assignments, which are later analyzed and discussed in class or individually. The course ends with a written test in which students are required to translate a text or texts fragments. The final grade is an average of two components: the grade for coursework and the result of the final test.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. A Coursebook on Translation. London & New York: Routledge.

Campbell, Stuart (1998). Translation into the Second Language. London: Longman.

Duff, Alan (1981). The Third Language. Recurrent Problems of Translation into English. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Hatim, Basil (1997). Communication Across Cultures. Translation Theory and Contrastive Text Linguistics. University of Exeter Press.

Hatim, Basil, Ian Mason (1990). Discourse and the Translator. London: Longman.

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

The student:

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

K_U03 is able to express himself/herself in English correctly, with precision and coherence, adjusting language forms to the communicational context.

K_U04 is able to present the aquired knowledge in a clear and logical way in the oral and written form.

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

K_U11 is able to appreciate the diversity of opinions presented in assigned reading and class discussions, using them as a source of inspiration rather than a threat to his/her own value system.

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.

K_U17 knows English at least at the C1 level according to the European framework of reference for languages.

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.