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Module Catalogue

LN313-30 Undergraduate Translation Project

Department
School of Modern Languages and Cultures
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Will Amos
Credit value
30
Module duration
21 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

This module offers final-year students an opportunity to develop their own extended translation project autonomously, but with the support of a language-specific supervisor and the module convenor.
There are two separate routes for the project which the student can decide between (no mixing):
(1) Students will provide their own extended translations of materials from 2 different genres (1,000-1,250 words each) and include 2 analytical commentaries (2,000-2,250 words each) on their translation strategies and methods.
(2) Students will engage in 2 extended analytical commentaries (4,500-5,000 words each) on previously published materials.

Module web page

Module aims

By completing a translation project, students will have the opportunity to advance their critical understanding of the processes and challenges of translation, their analytical writing skills and they can opt to further develop their own translation skills (by choosing route 1).
This module aims to allow students to:

  • become aware of the various challenges associated with translating different text types
  • be able to critically reflect on translation practice
  • critically engage with theoretical literature to support arguments
  • opt to produce translations from their language of specialism
  • develop a capacity for independent study and self-directed inquiry and research
  • develop further key transferable skills including effective and efficient communication, self-motivation, self-reliance, and time and information management.
Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Lectures & seminars:
T1: 3 x 2 hour plenary sessions
T2: 1 x 2 hour plenary sessions
Individual Supervisions:
2 x 30 min in T1 & T2 [1 per term]
Group Supervisions:
4 x 1-hour in T1 and T2 [2 per term]
Drop-in session: 1 x 2 hours in T3

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Understand the linguistic and cultural implications of translating cultural products
  • Reflect on the specific strategies that translators adopt when translating and how these strategies mirror linguistic as well as cultural dynamics.
  • Use their language specialism and cross-cultural awareness to either self-reflect or reflect on their own translation strategies or on those of others
  • Use knowledge acquired in seminars and from prescribed reading as basis for individual translation project
  • Successfully conceive, plan, and deliver their translation project
International

All modules delivered in SMLC are necessarily international. Students engage with themes and ideas from a culture other than that of the UK and employ their linguistic skills in the analysis of primary materials from a non-Anglophone context. Students will also be encouraged to draw on the experiences of visiting exchange students in the classroom and will frequently engage with theoretical and critical frameworks from across the world.

Subject specific skills

This module will develop students’ analytical skills through engaging with primary materials in the target language and theoretical literature. It will build students’ capacity to engage with aspects of translation through analysis of this primary material and through seminar discussion aimed at deeper critical thinking. In particular, students’ awareness of translation will be enhanced through seminars, individual consultations, and independent study which engage in scholarship in the field.

Transferable skills

All SMLC culture modules demand critical and analytical engagement with artefacts from target-language cultures. In the course of independent study, class work and assessment students will develop the following skills: written and oral communication, creative and critical thinking, problem solving and analysis, time management and organisation, independent research in both English and their target language(s), intercultural understanding and the ability to mediate between languages and cultures, ICT literacy in both English and the target language(s), personal responsibility and the exercise of initiative.

Study time

Type Required
Seminars 5 sessions of 2 hours (3%)
Tutorials 4 sessions of 1 hour (1%)
Project supervision 2 sessions of 30 minutes (0%)
Private study 285 hours (95%)
Total 300 hours
Private study description

N/A

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A4
Weighting Study time
Undergraduate Translation Project 100%

This is assessed 100% by coursework.
Students can opt to take either route 1 OR route 2:

  1. Students will provide their own extended translations of materials from 2 different genres (1,000-1,250 words each) and include 2 analytical commentaries (2,000-2,250 words each) on their translation strategies and methods.
  2. Students will engage in 2 extended analytical commentaries (4,500-5,000 words each) on previously published materials.
    Total word count:
    Route 1: 6,000 - 7000 words
    Route 2: 9,000 - 10,000 words
    The assessment weighting for Route 1 is:
    Translation: 20% each [40% in total]
    Commentary: 30% each [60% in total]
    There is no practical component in Route 2, so the analytical commentaries are worth 50% each [100% in total]
Feedback on assessment

Feedback will be provided in the course of the module in a number of ways. Feedback should be understood to be both formal and informal and is not restricted to feedback on formal written work.
Oral feedback will be provided by the module tutor in the course of seminar discussion. This may include feedback on points raised in small group work or in the course of individual presentations or larger group discussion.
Written feedback will be provided on formal assessment using the standard SMLC Assessed Work feedback form appropriate to the assessment. Feedback is intended to enable continuous improvement throughout the module and written feedback is generally the final stage of this feedback process. Feedback will always demonstrate areas of success and areas for future development, which can be applied to future assessment. Feedback will be both discipline-specific and focussed on key transferrable skills, enabling students to apply this feedback to their future professional lives. Feedback will be fair and reasonable and will be linked to the SMLC marking scheme appropriate to the module.

Pre-requisites

This module is only open to students who have previously taken a Translation Studies module at Year 1 or Intermediate level and who have obtained at least a 2:1 in their assessment for this module.

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

  • Year 3 of UFRA-R1VB Undergraduate French and History (3 year)
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R1A3 Undergraduate French with Italian
  • Year 4 of UHPA-R400 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4V1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and History
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RH Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Italian

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 4 of UGEA-R2V1 Undergraduate German and History
  • Year 4 of UPOA-M165 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Italian

This module is Core option list A for:

  • Year 3 of UFRA-QR3C Undergraduate English and French (3 year)
  • Year 4 of UHPA-QR34 Undergraduate English and Hispanic Studies
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R1L4 Undergraduate French and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R1A8 Undergraduate French with Japanese
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R2L4 Undergraduate German and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RF Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and French
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RG Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and German
  • Year 4 of UHPA-R4W4 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Theatre Studies
  • Year 4 of UHPA-R4T1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Chinese
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RL Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Italian
  • Year 4 of UHPA-R4R7 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Russian
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R3Q3 Undergraduate Italian and Linguistics

This module is Core option list B for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-RR14 Undergraduate French and German
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RF Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and French
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RH Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Italian
  • Year 4 of UHPA-R4T6 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Arabic

This module is Core option list C for:

  • Year 3 of ULNA-R2L5 Undergraduate German and Economics (3 year)

This module is Core option list D for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-RR14 Undergraduate French and German
  • Year 4 of ULNA-RR15 Undergraduate French and Italian
  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4RG Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and German

This module is Core option list E for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-R4L1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Economics (4-year)

This module is Core option list G for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-R1A4 Undergraduate French with Spanish

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 4 of UGEA-RW24 Undergraduate German and Theatre Studies
  • Year 3 of UGEA-RW25 Undergraduate German and Theatre Studies (3-year)

This module is Option list B for:

  • Year 4 of UFRA-R1VA Undergraduate French and History
  • Year 4 of UPOA-M164 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and German

This module is Option list C for:

  • Year 4 of UFRA-QR3A Undergraduate English and French

This module is Option list E for:

  • Year 4 of ULNA-RR15 Undergraduate French and Italian