Translation Quality Assessment 3301-JS2819
The course is concerned with the theory and practice of translation quality assessment. It presents various attempts at developing reliable criteria for the systematic evaluation of translations and also gives students an opportunity to develop their skills at assessing them. Apart from theoretical texts, attention will also be given to actual pieces of translation criticism, such as reviews in translation journals and the general press.
The following topics will be covered:
1. The theoretical foundations for translation quality assessment (its position within Translation Studies, definition, scope and task).
2. Translation criticism vs. error analysis.
3. Anecdotal, biographical and neo-hermeneutic approaches.
4. Response-based behavioural approaches.
5. Literature-oriented approaches: Descriptive Translation Studies.
6. Skopos theory – a functionalist approach.
7. Post-modernist and deconstructionist approaches.
8. Linguistically-oriented approaches.
9. J. House’s model of translation quality assessment.
10. Types of translation quality assessment (reviewing, criticism, etc.)
Students will be required to read set texts which will then be discussed in class. These discussions will be accompanied by practical tasks. For instance, students might be asked to translate a text and then assess the quality of each other's translations; they might be given various translations of the same text and asked to decide on the most satisfactory one. Throughout the course they will be encouraged to reflect on their own considerations behind translation quality assessment and to use the theoretical models critically and eclectically, trying to develop their own methods best suited to a particular text.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
KNOWLEDGE
1. gain / broaden their knowledge of the terminology used in Translation Studies
2. gain / broaden their knowledge of translation theories and the complexity of the translation process
SKILLS
1. acquire / develop an ability to use translation terminology appropriate for English philology
2. are able to use basic / detailed methodologies in Translation Studies
SOCIAL ATTITUDES
1. appreciate the nature of dilemmas, problems and conflicts, and look for optimal solutions
2. appreciate the usefulness of their knowledge and skills in building community bonds
Language instruction at B2+ level.
Assessment criteria
Credit will be given on the basis of attendance, active participation in classwork and a term paper (at least 1500 word-long) analyzing the quality of a translation.
Bibliography
1. Bogusławski, A. (2013). Podstawy konfrontatywnej lingwistyki przekładowej, Oficyna Wydawnicza Leksem.
2. Douma, F. (1972) “Reviewing a Translation: A Practical Problem in Literary Criticism”, Meta XVII, 2, pp. 94-101.
3. Filipowicz-Rudek, M. (2000) “Krytyka przekładu”, U. Dąmbska-Prokop (ed.) Mała encyklopedia przekładoznawstwa, Częstochowa: Educator, pp. 124-127.
4. Hejwowski, K. (2004) Mity i rzeczywistość. Kognitywno-komunikacyjna teoria przekładu, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
5. Hejwowski, K. (2015) Iluzja przekładu. Przekładoznawstwo w ujęciu konstruktywnym, Katowice: "Śląsk".
6. House, J. (1997) Translation Quality Assessment: A Model Revisited, Tübingen: Gunter Narr.
7. House, J. (2001) “Translation Quality Assessment: Linguistic Description versus Social Evaluation”, Meta XLVI, 2, 2001, pp. 243-257.
8. House, J. (2001b) “How do we know when a translation is good?”, E. Steiner and C. Yallop (eds) Exploring Translation and Multilingual Text Production: Beyond Content, Berlin and New York: Mouton de Gruyter, pp. 127-160.
9. House, J. (2004) “Quality of Translation”, M. Baker (ed) Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 197-200.
10. Koźbiał, J. (2002) „Kilka słów o krytyce tłumaczenia”, J. Koźbiał (ed.) Recepcja Transfer Przekład, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, pp. 47-56.
11. Krysztofiak, M. (1999) Przekład literacki a translatologia –wydanie drugie, poszerzone i poprawione, Poznań: Wydawnictwo UAM.
12. Maier, C. (2004) “Reviewing and criticism”, M. Baker (ed) Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 205-210.
13. Martínez Melis, N. and Hurtado Albir, A. (2001) “Assessment in Translation Studies: Research Needs”, Meta, XLVI, 2, 2001, pp. 272-287.
14. Reiss, K. (2000) Translation Criticism – The Potentials and Limitations. Categories and Criteria for Translation Quality Assessment, Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.), Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: