Translating Contemporary Scottish Fiction 3301-JS2817
The course will be divided into two parts: the theoretical one, focussed on the analysis of contemporary Scottish prose as a source material for translation into Polish, and the practical one, where students will attempt to produce their own translations. Both the theoretical discussions and the practical work will be based on selected concepts of Translation Studies.
The topics covered will include:
1-2. Contemporary Scottish fiction – a discussion of main trends, concepts and phenomena. Particular emphasis on the New Scottish Renaissance of the 1980s and ‘ 90s as well as the latest literary developments.
3-4. A literary text as a text of culture: source vs. target culture – the questions of foreignisation and domestication, the postcolonial perspective, the place of “Scottishness” in Polish reality, the role of the translator and the aim of translation, the translator’s invisibility and visibility.
5-7. Cultural and historical realities and contexts in translation – the works of Alasdair Gray.
8-10. The question of language – Scots and its varieties vs. “canonical English”, language as an expression of distinct cultural and national identity. Strategies and solutions used in translations (an analysis of Polish translations of novels by James Kelman, Iain Banks, Irvine Welsh).
11-12. Tartan Noir – a discussion on the popularity of the genre in Scotland and Poland (Ian Rankin).
13-15. Scotland in the eyes of female writers – the significance of gender in Scottish literary and cultural discourse and its translation (Ali Smith, Jackie Kay, Janice Galloway)
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
KNOWLEDGE
1. acquires / expands their knowledge of theories of translation as well as their awareness of the complexity of the translation process
2. becomes aware / deepens their awareness of the complexity and pluralism of cultures as systems
SKILLS
1.can assess the usefulness of different theoretical conceptions for philological research as well as various practical applications
2. has the skills to analyse research and define and conduct their own research tasks; can formulate a problem and choose a method
3. can appreciate the variety of opinions presented in reading materials and during discussions, and treat them as a source of inspiration, rather than a threat to their own system of values
SOCIAL COMPETENCE
1. recognises the nature of dilemmas, problems, conflicts, and searches for the best solutions
2. consciously participates in their own national culture, respects the cultural heritage of Europe, displays understanding of and curiosity about the varied cultures of the world.
In class discussions students acquire skills of expressing their thoughts in a clear, coherent, logical and precise manner, with the use of language which is correct grammatically, lexically and phonetically.
Education at language level B2+
Assessment criteria
The final grade will be based on: 1) regular attendance and active participation in classes; 2) A written assignment: a translation of an individually selected text, with a detailed analysis of the translation process and the decisions made, or a detailed critical analysis of a selected fragment of a Scottish literary text translated into Polish.
Attendance - min. 80%
If the course is taught online, each student is expected to have a working web-cam and microphone.
Retake - rewriting the term paper, if the student has received an unsatisfactory grade. Completing additional written assignments, if the in-class work has been unsatisfactory.
Bibliography
Critical texts:
1. Bassnett, Susan (1991) Translation Studies, London: Routledge.
2. Bukowski, Piotr i Magda Heydel red. (2009) Współczesne teorie przekładu, Kraków: Znak.
3. Craig, Cairns (1999) The Modern Scottish Novel. Narrative and the National Imagination, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
4. Gilbert, Geoff (1999) “Can Fiction Swear? James Kelman and the Booker Prize” [in:] Rod Mengham ed. (1999) An Introduction to Contemporary Fiction: International Writing in English since 1970, Cambridge: Polity Press, 219-234.
5. Jarniewicz, Jerzy (2012) "Niech nas zobaczą, czyli translatorski coming out" [in:] Gościnność słowa. Szkice o przekładzie literackim, Kraków: Znak.
6. Korzeniowska, Aniela (2008) Translating Scotland. Nation and Identity, Warsaw: University of Warsaw.
7. Kozak, Jolanta (2009) Przekład literacki jako metafora. Miedzy logos a lexis, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
8. Szemińska, Weronika (2014) „Język ohydy : o polskim przekładzie Filth Irvine'a Welsha” [in:] Fordoński K. and P. Wojtas ed. (2014) Language and Literary Studies of Warsaw. Nr 4, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, s. 99-111.
9. Venuti, Lawrence ed. (2000) The Translation Studies Reader, London & New York: Routledge.
10. Wallace, G. and R. Stevenson eds. (1994) The Scottish Novel since the Seventies, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Scottish novels and short stories:
1. Banks, Iain (1997) The Bridge, London: Abacus.
2. Galloway, Janice (1989) The Trick is to Keep Breathing, Edinburgh: Polygon.
3. Galloway, Janice (1991) "Scenes from the Life No.23: Paternal Advice" [in:] Blood, London: Random House.
4. Galloway, Janice (1991) "Scenes from the Life No.29: Dianne" [in:] Blood, London: Random House.
5. Gray, Alasdair (1985) 1982, Janine, London: Penguin Books.
6. Gray, Alasdair (1992) Poor Things, London: Bloomsbury Press.
7. Gray, Alasdair (2002) Lanark: A Life in Four Books, Edinburgh: Canongate.
8. Kelman, James (1990) A Disaffection, Picador: London.
9. Kelman, James (1998) How late it was, how late, London: Vintage.
10. Kennedy, A.L. (2004) "The role of notable silences in Scottish history" [in:] Night Geometry and the Garscadden Trains", London: Vintage.
11. McIlvanney, William (2013) Laidlaw, Edinburgh: Canongate.
12. Owens, Agnes (2008) "Bus Queue" [in:] The Complete Short Stories, Edinburgh: Polygon.
13. Owens, Agnes (2008) "Hannah Sweeny" [in:] The Complete Short Stories, Edinburgh: Polygon.
14. Rankin, Ian (1999) Dead Souls, London: Orion.
15. Welsh, Irvine (1993) Trainspotting, London: Secker & Warburg.
16. Welsh, Irvine (1998) Filth, London: Jonathan Cape.
17. Welsh, Louise (2002) The Cutting Room. Edinburgh: Canongate.
Polish translations:
1.Banks, Iain (1998) Most, przeł. Marek Fedyszak, Warszawa: Prószyński i S-ka.
2.Gray, Alasdair (1997) Biedne istoty: sceny z wczesnych lat życia doktora Archibalda McCandlessa inspektora szkockiej służby zdrowia, przeł. Ewa Horodyska, Warszawa: PIW.
3.Kelman, James (2011) Jak późno było, jak późno, przeł. Jolanta Kozak, Warszawa: PIW
4. McIlvanney, William (2015) Inspektor Laidlaw, przeł. Violetta Dobosz, Poznań: Wydawnictwo "C&T".
5.Rankin, Ian (2004) Martwe dusze, przeł. Lech Z. Żołędziowski, Poznań: Zysk i S-ka.
6.Welsh, Irvine (2014) Brud, przeł. Jacek Spólny, Zakrzewo: Replika.
7. Welsh, Irvine (2010) Trainspotting, przeł. Jędrzej Polak, Kraków : Wydawnictwo Vis-à-vis/Etiuda.
8. Welsh, Louise (2004) Cięcie, przeł. Agnieszka Lakatos, Warszawa: Muza.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: