Admission requirements
This course is open only to students registered for the Translation in Theory and Practice specialization.
Description
“There are few efforts more conducive to humility than that of the translator trying to communicate an incommunicable beauty. Yet, unless we do try, something unique and never surpassed will cease to exist except in the libraries of a few inquisitive book lovers.” Many will disagree with this quotation by the American classicist and teacher, Edith Hamilton (1867-1963), herself the author of beautiful translations of Greek tragedies. They would argue that reading a translation is like looking at “the other side of a tapestry” (Cervantes): it is not difficult, but actually impossible and should therefore not be tried at home – or in tutorial. However, this (i.e. trying) is precisely what we are going to do in this course.
We will explore some of the issues (like the one above) in literary translation that scholars in different times and cultures have asked themselves. Part of the course will be in the form of translation workshops, led by one or two students who have prepared short, annotated translations of fiction, poetry or prose drama at home.
At the end of the course, students are aware of the challenges involved in literary translation. Furthermore, they are aware of its interdisciplinary nature and of the contributions made by translation theorists, stylisticians, literary scholars and philosophers.
Course objectives
Ability to research background information required to translate literary texts (author information, literary genres, stylistic devices)
Skill in translating literary texts from English into Dutch.
Analyzing and reflecting on literary machine translations
Ability to apply one’s knowledge and understanding of stylistics in translating a literary text.
Ability to apply one’s knowledge of translation theories in translating literary texts.
Ability to reflect on your own translation decisions and how these may affect reader perceptions and may contribute to current debates in society
The Literary Translation specialization of the MA Translation endorses the Framework for Literary Translation (PETRA-E Framework) and enables its students to develop their literary translation competences at the following levels:
Transfer competence: LT4 Advanced professional
Language competence: LT4 Advanced professional
Textual competence: LT3 Early career professional
Heuristic competence: LT3 Early career professional
Literary-cultural competence: LT3 Early career professional
Professional competence: LT2 Advanced learner
Evaluative competence: LT2 Advanced learner
Research competence: LT3 Early career professional
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminars
Course Load
Total course load: 5 EC x 28 hours = 140 hours
Preparation for seminars (literature study, stylistic analyses, translations, annotated translations): 112 hours
Seminars: 28 hours
Assessment method
Assessment
Average mark of two submitted annotated translations with source text and target text analyses (mid-term and end-of-term) (100%)
Resit
There are resits for the mid-term and end-of-term translation assignments. Marks for the annotated translations need to be at least 6.0. Students can resit a course component if the mark for the component is a fail.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Reading materials to be made available on Brightspace also for:
additional reading materials
announcements
Registration
Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar
For questions related to the content of the course, please contact the lecturer, you can find their contact information by clicking on their name in the sidebar.
For questions regarding enrollment please contact the Education Administration Office Reuvensplaats
For questions regarding your studyprogress contact the Coordinator of Studies