Type of Credit: Elective
Credit(s)
Number of Students
The course is designed to instill translation theories and critical concepts in the English majors, to develop their translation potential, and to refine their translation skills by means of translation exercises studied at home and followed by corrections and in-depth discussions in the classroom that contribute to balancing abstract academic theories and practical translation skills so as to cultivate English-Chinese translation talents of professional attainment in both source and target languages. Essential theories and issues regarding cross-cultural as well as literary renditions—their limits, challenges and transcendences—will be elaborated and explored; practical information about translation studies, related important online or paper-based tools, and the métier itself will be also introduced. A variety of pertinent and flexible tactics, strategies and skills needed to tackle with different kinds of English or Chinese text types will be taught, analyzed, compared as well as drilled throughout the course.
能力項目說明
By the end of this course, students will find themselves equipped with the following knowledge or abilities:
1. Possess fundamental knowledge of important translation theories, theorists, scholars, critics, and criticisms in the Western and Chinese literary traditions
2. Possess fundamental understanding of the nature of translation as both art and science
3. Possess fundamental realization of the different standards of translation
4. Possess fundamental apprehension of the judgement of translation
5. Possess the ability of carrying out the sound translation (transliteration systems) for proper names
6. Possess the ability of domesticating the source language in the target language
7. Possess the ability of foreignizing the source language in the target language
8. Possess the ability of applying different skills to tackle with a variety of text types
9. Possess the ability of finding the most equivalent idiomatic expressions in the target language
10. Possess the ability of spotting common translation errors in everyday life
11. Possess the ability of fathoming out the imperfectness in an established translation
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Learning Outcomes |
Evaluation Methods |
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Homework, presentation, project, or exam |
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Homework, presentation, project, or exam |
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Homework, presentation, project, or exam |
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Homework, presentation, project, or exam |
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Homework, presentation, project, or exam |
| 教學週次Course Week | 彈性補充教學週次Flexible Supplemental Instruction Week | 彈性補充教學類別Flexible Supplemental Instruction Type |
|---|---|---|
Topics on Translation: Theory and Practice (Fall 2023, Min-Hua Wu)
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Week
|
Date |
Topic/Class Activity |
Required Readings |
Assignment |
|
1
|
Sept. 14 |
Introduction |
Introduction |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
2
|
Sept. 21 |
Multiplicity in Translation |
(Quiz) Chapter 1 + Homework Discussion Transliteration systems (Wade-Giles) |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
3
|
Sept. 28 |
Multiplicity in Translation |
(Quiz) Chapter 2 + Homework Discussion Translation Comparison: English Poems |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
4
|
Oct. 5 |
Standards in Translation |
(Quiz) Chapter 3 + Homework Discussion Translation Comparison: French Poems |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
5
|
Oct. 12 |
Creativity in Translation |
(Quiz) Examples of Creative or Impossible Translation to be shared and discussed |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
6
|
Oct. 19 |
Critical Consciousness |
(Quiz) Chapter 4 + Homework Discussion Theory: John Dryden |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
7
|
Oct. 26 |
Judgement of Translation |
(Quiz) Chapter 5 + Homework Discussion Theory: Matthew Arnold |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
8
|
Nov. 2 |
Equivalence and Fidelity |
(Quiz) Chapter 6 + Homework Discussion Theory: Eugene Nida |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
9
|
Nov. 9 |
Mid-term Exam |
Mid-term Exam Oral Presentation [handout and insight] + Discussion and Feedback |
Mid-term Exam |
|
10
|
Nov. 16 |
Workshop 1 |
(Quiz) Chapter 7 + Homework Discussion Workshop: Chinese-English Essay Translation |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
11
|
Nov. 23 |
Workshop 2 |
(Quiz) Chapter 8 + Homework Discussion Workshop: Chinese-English Poem Translation |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
12
|
Nov. 30 |
Visibility vs. Invisibility |
(Quiz) Chapter 9 + Homework Discussion Theory: Lawrence Venuti |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
13
|
Dec. 7 |
Translatability vs. Untranslatability |
(Quiz) Chapter 11 + Homework Discussion Theory: Walter Benjamin |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
14
|
Dec. 14 |
Linguistics and Translation |
(Quiz) Chapter 12 + Homework Discussion Theory: Roman Jakobson |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
15
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Dec. 21 |
Politics and Translation |
(Quiz) Chapter 13 + Homework Discussion Theory: Gayatri Spivak |
Texts to Translate / Chapter to study |
|
16
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Dec. 28 |
Oral Presentation |
Presentation on the main points of an online talk related to translation that you attended + handouts/PPT |
|
|
17
|
Jan. 4 |
Online Talk |
“John Minford: Translation Without Rules” or other talks on the art of literary translation |
|
|
18
|
Jan. 11 |
Final Paper [10 pp.] |
Submission of final research paper/project and one-on-one conference |
Final Paper / Project |
*I reserve the right to modify the class schedule, requirements, and readings, if needed. All future changes will be announced in the class or through email.
Grading Policy
1. Class Attendance 10-100%
2. Weekly Homework Presentation 20%
3. Weekly Quiz 30%
4. Mid-term Oral Project Presentation + Handouts 10%
5. Final Written Research Paper or Translation Project [10 pp.] 30%
Course Materials
1. Ye, Zinan and Lynette Xiaojing Shi. Introduction to Chinese-English Translation. Taipei: Bookman, 2011.
2. Chinese-English Translation Handouts and Teaching Materials Compiled by the Instructor. (教師自編中英翻譯教材講義)
3. Venuti, Lawrence ed. The Translation Studies Reader. 3rd Ed. London: Routledge, 2012.
4. Robinson, Douglas ed. Western Translation Theory from Herodotus to Nietzsche. 2nd ed. London and New York: Routledge, 2014.
5. Lefevere, André. Translation, Rewriting, and the Manipulation of Literary Fame. London and New York: Routledge, 1992.
6. Yu, Kwang-Chung (余光中). “Digesting Nectar to Produce Honey: Analytical Comments on English Translations of Chinese Poetry.” http://www.ancientchinesepoetry.com/NTU_Award.php
7. 錢鍾書。《林紓的翻譯：七綴集》，上海市：上海古籍出版社，1985。
8. 錢鍾書。《錢鍾書英文文集》，北京市：外語教學與研究出版社，2006。
8. 余光中。《翻譯乃大道 譯者獨憔悴：余光中翻譯論集》，台北市：九歌，2021。
9. 許淵冲。《文學翻譯談》，台北市：書林，1998。
10. Selected Academic Papers on the Art of Literary Translation and Translation Studies by Translation Scholars in the Chinese-speaking World.
11. Pertinent Translation Materials or Examples Found in the Daily Life in Taiwan for Classroom Practice and Discussion.
12. An NCCU alumna’s (柯乃瑜 Nai-yu Ker) decade-long blog on her translation and interpretation career: https://goingsoho.wordpress.com/