Iberian Contributions to Translation Studies I 3305-WMIBP1-H-1U
The course covers issues related to the history of various forms of translation and their position in relation to source texts. Throughout the course, students analyse key texts and testimonies of Spanish-speaking and international translation thought produced over the centuries, from Antiquity to the present day. Students also become familiar with the work of prominent translators of Spanish, as well as of other languages, and with their views on the nature and practice of translation. As part of their reflection on the history of Translation Studies, students are introduced to issues related to translation criticism, including its role, types, and functions within the translation process.
Selected periods and concepts in Translation Studies examined during the first semester:
1. Key concepts (definitions of translation; aims and characteristics of translation; Translation Studies as an academic discipline; translation problems and challenges; translation errors; translator competence);
2. Antiquity (Cicero, Saint Jerome);
3. The Middle Ages (Maimonides, Alfonso de Cartagena, Toledo School of Translators);
4. The Renaissance (Fray Luis de León, Juan Luis Vives, translation and the voyages of Christopher Columbus);
5. The Seventeenth Century (Juan de Jáuregui, Francisco de Quevedo, Isabel Correa, les belles infidèles);
6. The Eighteenth Century (Antonio de Capmany, José Cadalso, Alexander Fraser Tytler);
7. The Nineteenth Century (Leopoldo Alas Clarín, Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo, hermeneutics).
Selected topics discussed during the course:
- translation as a form of communication;
- the concept of equivalence and its interpretation throughout history;
- the concepts of translation method, type, and strategy;
- faithful versus free translation: past and present perspectives;
- translation as a creative process;
- the role of the translator in the past and in the present;
- other related issues.
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
KNOWLEDGE
Upon successful completion of the course, the student:
- demonstrates advanced knowledge and understanding of the subject matter and methodology specific to Translation Studies, particularly the contributions and approaches of Spanish-speaking translation theorists and practitioners; is able to develop this knowledge creatively and apply it in professional contexts; and possesses in-depth knowledge of Translation Studies terminology (S1K_W01 / S2K_W01);
- understands the connections between Iberian Studies and other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences (S1K_W02 / S2K_W02);
- is familiar with scholarly developments in Translation Studies in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, and has an in-depth understanding of the relationships between research trends in this field and other humanistic discourses (S1K_W04 / S2K_W04);
- possesses advanced knowledge of the terminology, theories, and methodologies of Translation Studies (S1K_W05 / S2K_W05);
- is familiar with the contemporary achievements of research centres and academic schools in Spanish-speaking countries in the field of Translation Studies (S1K_W06 / S2K_W06).
SKILLS
Upon successful completion of the course, the student is able to:
- apply acquired research skills, including the critical analysis of cultural products and social phenomena in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, the synthesis of diverse ideas and perspectives on the art of translation, the selection of methods and design of research tools, and the preparation and presentation of research findings, thereby enabling the original resolution of complex problems in Translation Studies (S1K_U01 / S2K_U01);
- independently acquire knowledge concerning the historical development and major trends in global and Spanish-language Translation Studies, expand research skills, and undertake autonomous activities aimed at developing translation competences and managing a professional career as a translator or translation scholar (S1K_U02 / S2K_U02);
- employ acquired language skills in the comprehension and production of spoken and written texts using specialist terminology in the field of Translation Studies (S1K_U03 / S2K_U03).
SOCIAL COMPETENCES
Upon successful completion of the course, the student is prepared to:
- collaborate effectively in discussion groups, assuming various roles related to the analysis and critique of translation phenomena (S1K_K01 / S2K_K01).
Assessment criteria
Successful completion of the course is based on the following criteria:
1. Attendance (a maximum of two unexcused absences is permitted);
2. Active participation in class (thorough preparation of the text assigned by the instructor for a given session and the ability to discuss and critically comment on it in relation to other concepts covered in the course, either through class debate or by answering guiding questions provided in advance) - 20% of the final grade;
3. Final written examination (consisting of open-ended questions and multiple-choice questions covering all material discussed during the course) - 80% of the final grade.
Practical placement
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Bibliography
Selected texts from the following publications:
D. BELLOS, 2012. Un pez en la higuera. Una historia fabulosa de la traducción. Barcelona: Ariel.
J. DELISLE, J. WOODSWORTH (eds.), 1995. Translators through History, Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
V. GARCÍA YEBRA, 1997. Teoría y práctica de la traducción. Madrid: Gredos.
F. LAFARGA, L. PEGENAUTE (eds.), 2004. Historia de la traducción en España. Salamanca: Editorial Ambos Mundos.
D. LÓPEZ GARCÍA (ed.), 1996. Teorías de la Traducción: Antología de textos. Cuenca: Ediciones de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha.
J. F. RUIZ CASANOVA, 2000. Aproximación a una historia de la traducción en España. Madrid: Cátedra.
J.-C. SANTOYO, 1987. Teoría y crítica de la traducción: antología. Barcelona: Bellaterra/Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
M. A. VEGA (ed.), 2004. Textos clásicos de teoría de la traducción. Madrid: Cátedra.
L. VENUTI (ed.), 2021. The Translation Studies Reader (4th Edition). London & New York: Routledge.