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2019/20 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

FREN3800 French-English Translation Skills for Erasmus Students

20 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Dr Terry Bradford
Email: T.J.Bradford@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2019/20

Pre-requisite qualifications

French mother-tongue students following or having followed a degree level programme including English in their home country

This module is mutually exclusive with

FREN3770Theory and Practice in French-English Translation

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module covers the theory and practice of French-English translation for students whose mother tongue is French. The module will begin by examining the foundational concepts in structural linguistics that explain the fundamental difficulties confronting the translator. Other key issues covered will be the modalities of lexical dissymmetry between French and English; text-types; and the basic translation strategies proposed in the standard texts. Students' practical skills will improve as a result of their enhanced understanding of the issues underlying translation, since the second half the module is concerned solely with improving both translation skills and knowledge of English grammar, syntax, lexis and idiom through practical text-based exercises involving the detailed study of translation difficulties, and the procedures suitable for overcoming them.

Objectives

To meet the requirements of home universities of incoming Erasmus students namely to enhance skills in advanced literary and journalistic translation from French to English and to enhance knowledge of English grammar, syntax, lexis and idiom.

The practice of translation will be supported by an introduction to relevant linguistic theory.

By the end of the module students should thus have a general understanding of translation cruxes in the context of the cultural-linguistic issues covered in the course. Insofar as they are separable, these issues fall into two broad categories:
- the achievement of cross-cultural equivalence in translation; and
- the problems associated with cross-linguistic variation as they affect the translator's task.

Learning outcomes
- Enhanced knowledge of theory and practice of French¿English translation.
- Increased knowledge of the linguistic structure of written English and the linguistic theory surrounding translation.
- Enhanced awareness of the skills and knowledge necessary for advanced French-English translation.
- Enhanced knowledge of English grammar, syntax, lexis and idiom.

Skills outcomes
- Enhanced competence in the practice of French-English translation.
- Enhanced competence in autonomous work, both research skills and the composition of written English.
- Enhanced competence in the use of written, literary and journalistic English.


Syllabus

Semester 1

Week 1: Lecture 1
Structure of the course. Introduction to linguistic theory as it affects translation
Week 2: Seminar 1
Discussion of complex utterances: Sapir-Whorf, codability
Week 3: Lecture 2
Text types; readership, author's intention, 'audience design'
Week 4: Lecture 3
Translation problems at the word level
Week 5: Lecture 4
Words in combination, or lexical relations in French and English
Week 6: Lecture 5
Differences in syntax across the two languages
Week 8: Lecture 6
Translation strategies: acceptability, equivalence, loss, compensation, different types of translation
Week 9: Seminar 2
Translation practice
Week 10: Seminar 3
Different types of translation: transposition and modulation. Loss, compensation
Week 11: Seminar 4
Translation practice.

Semester 2
Weekly practice of translation applying knowledge gained through semester one's lectures and seminars.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture51.005.00
Seminar141.0014.00
Private study hours181.00
Total Contact hours19.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)200.00

Private study

Semester 1:
During term private study will be associated with preparation for participation in seminars, consolidation of lectures (four hours) and preparation of the practice translations (ten hours).

Semester 2:
Private study will be associated with preparation for active participation in seminars. Students will be expected to prepare each week a translation of a text to be discussed in class. Students will have to identify and be prepared to discuss specific translation difficulties (codability, idiom etc as covered in semester 1 lectures and seminars) as well as grammatical and syntactical difficulties.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

There will be 2 opportunities, one in each semester, for students to submit a translation for marking by the tutor and the receipt of feedback. Feedback will focus on accuracy and appropriateness of translation choices made by the student and on theoretical issues as they apply to translation of the text in question.

In addition progress will be monitored through students' contributions in practical translation seminars.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Reflective log.40.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)40.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated


Exams
Exam typeExam duration% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)2 hr 60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)60.00

A bilingual French-English dictionary will be allowed but no other reference material.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 31/05/2018

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