Poetry translation - in criticism and in practice 3201-PPK-OG

The aim of the course is to guide the students from reading key texts elucidating the basic notions on poetry translation, through absorbing the basic principles of fair and reliable (poetry) translation criticism – towards their own translation practice.
The material encompasses: discussing seminal texts introducing to the topic (translator’s self-commentaries as well as insightful critical papers), in-class analyses of source texts as translation tasks, critical analyses of originals and targets text or texts. After equipping students with selected critical tools and polishing versifying skills, we will focus on practicing poetry translation.
The course content encompasses:
1. Specific character of poetry translation – introduction to the topic.
2. On the necessity of maintaining high translation standards.
3. In search of solutions – translators’ dilemmas. Translators’ accounts of the process.
4. Translation as a lesson in interpreting the text.
5. (Poetry) Translation criticism – selected models.
6. Struggling with versification: rhyme, rhythm etc. as conventional signals and carriers of meaning.
7. Comparative analyses of the original and translation(s) – examples of how to proceed.
8-15 Untranslatable? – Let’s try… Translation workshops
Working languages: out of English, Polish
working with other languages – depending on the wishes and needs of the participants and within the limits of the teacher’s competence.

Course coordinators

Marta Kaźmierczak

Type of course

foreign languages
general courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

Interest in poetry and poetry translation; no prior experience in poetry translation is needed. Competence in Polish – the necessary level is to be able to follow academic discourse of the humanities (C2 stipulated). Competence in English – the necessary level is to able to work on literary material. Working with other languages possible – depending on the wishes and needs of the participants.

Learning outcomes

On completing the subject:
The student understands the particular character of poetry translation.
The student is encouraged to attempt translating poetry.
The student understands a poetry translator’s tasks and is aware of the entailed responsibility.
The student is familiar with principles, as well as ethical norms, governing translation criticism, esp. with respect to assessing a poetic translation.
The student is able to apply some elements of a critic’s knowledge and tools to analyze empirical material.
The student is in possession of certain practical skills for poetry translation.
The student is able to critically asses his or her translation skills and is capable of enhancing them in the way required by the material to be rendered.
The student recognizes the limits of his or her competences as a poetry translator.
The student acknowledges the importance of justifying and supporting with arguments his or her premises as well as assessments of translations.
The student understands that the shape of a rendition is relative to the transnational premises adopted.

Assessment criteria

The course ends with a grade.
Credit is given on basis of continuous input:
1) regular attendance (two absences allowed, reasons immaterial);
2) active participation in discussions on the reading material, on poetic texts under analysis, commenting on the translation choices of one’s own and of other participants;
3) working on the translations (note: it is the effort put into improving the renditions that matters, reaching perfection is not required).

Practical placement

The course material does not repeat any of my other courses where poetry translation is included among other topics.

Bibliography

The bibliography below is limited to essential theoretical and critical readings. The course balances reading assignments with a strong practical focus.
Barańczak S., Ocalone w tłumaczeniu, Kraków 2004, 3rd ed. (fragments).
Dedecius K., Notatnik tłumacza, trans. J. Prokop, Kraków 1974. (fragments)
Heydel M., Poetyka jako semantyka, czyli rytmy albo wiersze polskie, in: Przekładając nieprzekładalne, vol. II, ed. O. Kubińska, W. Kubiński, Gdańsk 2004, 241-252.
Jarniewicz J., ‘Où sont les poissons d’antan?’. „Literatura na Świecie” 2000 no. 9, 265-274 [the reading is in Polish].
Kaźmierczak M., Translation Quality in a Translation Series: A Love Song for Six Voices. „Forum of Poetics” no. 14 (Fall 2018: Poetics in Translation), 6–37 // M. Kaźmierczak, Jakość tłumaczenia w serii translatorskiej, trans. from the English E. Kraskowska, M. Kaźmierczak. „Forum Poetyki” 14 (jesień 2018: Poetyki w przekładzie), 6–39.
Kopacki A., 21 wierszy w przekładach i szkicach, Łódź 2021 (selection).
Pisarze polscy o sztuce przekładu 1440–2005. Antologia, ed. E. Balcerzan, E. Rajewska, Poznań 2007 – selected texts (J. Tuwim, J. Jarniewicz, A. Libera).
Szymak-Reiferowa J., Przekład jako lekcja interpretacji, „Przegląd Rusycystyczny” 1995, vol. 18, no. 1/2, 37-50.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes: