Translation functions as a means of facilitating communication, learning languages and opening up dialogues between and across cultures. This first year module on translation methods introduces students to the principles that guide approaches to translations, from word-level to textual approaches to notions of the ethics governing translation practice. Students will be introduced to concepts in lectures and then apply them to practical exercises in both lectures and seminars. In seminars students will be translating from their source languages – French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese or Spanish – into English. The toolkit developed in this module will support study of translation and language learning, and the general methods and approaches learned will equip students to begin to study specialised forms of translation in year 2 in the module ‘Introduction to Specialised Translation’.

• demonstrate an understanding of the basic methods and tools of general translation
• show a capacity to evaluate critically translation methods
• apply the methods and tools studied to practical exercises in translation

There will be weekly lectures of one hour and four seminars per semester. Lectures will address the key approaches and methods, and during seminars students will apply these to translation from their source language into English. Attendance is compulsory in all sessions.

• Lectures will develop the student’s capacity to absorb information, including through note-taking.
• Seminars will develop the capacity to deploy this information and to improve translation work, supporting general language acquisition.
• Through independent learning and exam preparation students will practise and develop research skills and the capacity to deploy information in well-constructed arguments.
• Assessed translations will enable students to practise and develop written presentation and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) skills.

100% Continuous Assessment (translation)

The potential for reassessment in this module

Translation Coursework: (100%)

Semester A

Week 1 Introductory lecture

Week 2 Translating words 1 (meaning)

Week 3 Translating words 2 (non-equivalence) 

Week 4 Words with words 1 (collocation) / Seminar 1 (Translating words)

Week 5 Words with words 2 (idioms)

Week 6 READING WEEK

Week 7 Translating grammar 1 (gender and person) / Seminar 2 (Collocation and idiom)

Week 8 Translating grammar 2 (tense, mood and word order)

Week 9 Translating texts 1 (information flow) / Seminar 3 (Translating grammar)

Week 10 Translating texts 2 (sentence)

Week 11 Revision of key concepts / Seminar 4 (Textual equivalence)

Baker, M. 1992, In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation, London: Routledge.

Robinson, D. 1997, 2003. Becoming a Translator, London: Routledge.

French-English translation:

Ladmiral, J-R. 1994. Traduire: Théorèmes pour la traduction, Tel, Gallimard.

Vinay, J-P et Darbelnet, J. 1968. Stylistique comparée du français et de l’anglais. Méthode de traduction. Paris: Didier.

German-English translation:

Hervey, S. et al. 2006. Thinking German translation. A course in translation method: German to English, 2nd edn London: Routledge.

Macheiner, J. 2004.  Übersetzen: Ein Vademecum, München: Pipe.

Italian-English translation:

Osimo, Bruno. 2000. Corso di traduzione - parte prima. Rimini: Guaraldi-Logos.
-----------------. 2004. Corso di traduzione - parte seconda. Rimini: Guaraldi-Logos.

Japanese-English translation:

Lecturers will provide with specific bibliography in seminars.

Portuguese-English translation:

Lecturers will provide with specific bibliography in the seminars.

Spanish-English translation:

Cámara Aguilera, E. 1999. Hacia una traducción de calidad: técnicas de revisión y corrección de errores. Granada: Grupo Editorial Universitario.

Hurtado Albir, A. 2001. Traducción y Traductología. Introducción a la Traductología. Madrid: Cátedra.
Rabadán, R & Fernández Nistal, P. 2002.  La traducción inglés-español: fundamentos, herramientas, aplicaciones. Universidad de León: Secretariado de Publicaciones.