Course Title: Theoretical Bases of Translating and Interpreting

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2010

Course Code: LANG5397

Course Title: Theoretical Bases of Translating and Interpreting

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6067 - Advanced Diploma of Translating and Interpreting

Course Contact : Miranda Lai

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99253523

Course Contact Email:miranda.lai@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Mr. David Deck   david.deck@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 80

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Nil

Course Description

This course provides students with the skills and knowledge to apply theoretical frameworks to translating and interpreting processes and to use appropriate metalanguage to analyse and evaluate aspects of practice.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBN933 Theoretical Bases of Translating and Interpreting

Learning Outcomes


On completion of this course you will be expected to be able to: 

  1. Apply appropriate metalanguage to describe strategies aimed at achieving equivalence in translation and interpreting. 
    • Apply effective metalanguage to describe strategies for translating and interpreting lexical items. 
    • Identify and describe collocations and collocational range, and use appropriate metalanguage to explain strategies for translating collocations and marked collocations. 
    • Identify and describe idioms and idiomatic utterances and use appropriate metalanguage to explain strategies for translating them. 
    • Apply appropriate metalanguage to analyse issues of grammatical equivalence in interpreting / translation between English and a LOTE. 
    • Apply effective metalanguage to describe strategies for achieving equivalence in the translation and interpretation of aspects of cohesion in texts. 
    • Recognise thematic information structures and explain strategies for translating them. 
    • Apply effective metalanguage to describe strategies for maintaining coherence and dealing with implicatures in translation and interpreting. 
  2. Apply principles of note-taking for consecutive interpreting, and demonstrate their relevance to seeking equivalence in consecutive interpreting.
    • Explain the Rozan / Henderson note-taking system used for consecutive interpreting. 
    • Analyse and describe the development of a personal note-taking system (based on the Rozan / Henderson system), including problems encountered and strategies for overcoming them. 
    • Analyse and describe linkages between note-taking principles and strategies aimed at achieving equivalence at and above the word level in consecutive interpreting.


Details of Learning Activities

In classroom situations, you will develop knowledge of theoretical aspects to assist you in performing complex interpreting and translating tasks. In particular, the instruction will aim to assist you to understand and apply: 

  • The Rozan/Henderson system of note-taking for consecutive interpreting, including the importance of recognising the main ideas in a text, noting / memorising ideas (rather than words), developing a system of symbols and abbreviations (intermediate symbolic language), and noting cohesive devices. 
  • Linkages between note-taking principles and strategies to achieve equivalence at and above the word level, including correspondence between the Rozan / Henderson principles of noting / memorising ideas rather than words and linking main points in consecutive texts, and certain areas of Linguistics (eg pragmatics / coherence and cohesion). 
  • Effective metalanguage, including:
    • lexical items (including componential analysis, primary / secondary senses and expressive meaning)
    • collocations, marked collocations and collocational range
    • idioms
    • fixed expressions
  • Effective metalanguage to describe the following grammatical categories:
    • number
    • gender
    • person
    • tense and aspect
    • voice
    • case 
  • The Hallidayan approach and the Prague School position on information flow and the relevance of these differing approaches to the interpreting / translation process. 
  • Achievement of equivalence in the translation and interpretation of texts which include the following aspects of cohesion:
    • Reference
    • Substitution and Ellipsis
    • Conjunction
    • Lexical Cohesion
  • Effective metalanguage to describe strategies for achieving equivalence in the translation and interpretation of texts includes the following aspects of coherence:
    • Coherence
    • Coherence and processes of interpretation
    • Implicature

You will also need to devote 2 hours per week of your own time on assignments / tasks allocated by your teacher and bring them back to class for discussion and feedback.


Teaching Schedule

Week No

                        Topic / Activity   (Mon)

                          Topic / Activity (Thur)
Week 1 Intro to course Intro to T&I; Intro to Baker
Week 2 Word meaning analysis Equivalence at word level pt1
Week 3 Equivalence at word level pt 2 Equivalence at word level pt 3; distribute Assgt 1
Week 4 Practice Assgt 1 Note-taking for CI pt 1
Week 5 [Public holiday – no lesson] Note-taking for CI pt 2; collect Assgt 1
Week 6 Equivalence above word level pt 1 Equivalence above word level pt 2; distribute Assgt 2
Week 7 Equivalence above word level pt 3 Practice Assgt 2
Week 8 Equivalence above wd level pt 4; return / discuss Assgt 1 [Mid-semester break – no lesson]
Semester Break [Mid-semester break – no lesson] Practical problems in translation; collect Assgt 2
Week 9 Grammatical equivalence pt 1 Grammatical equivalence pt 2
Week 10 Grammatical equivalence pt 3 Grammatical equivalence pt 4; return / discuss Assgt 2
Week 11 Equivalence at textual level pt 1a Equivalence at textual level pt 1a; distribute Assgt 3
Week 12 Prac Assgt 3 Equivalence at textual level pt 1b
Week 13 Equivalence at textual level pt 1c Equivalence at textual level pt 2a; collect Assgt 3
Week 14 Equivalence at textual level pt 2b Equivalence at textual level pt 2c; distribute Assgt 4
Week 15 Standards of textuality Equivalence at pragmatic level pt 1; Prac Assgt 4
Week 16 Equivalence at pragmatic level pt 2; return Assgt 3 Equivalence at pragmatic level pt 3; collect Assgt 4
Week 17 Exam period Exam period
Week 18 Exam period Exam period

Part-time lanugage streams have different semester length.  Teachers may provide additional information on teaching schedule. 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Baker.M., In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation, Routledge, London, 1999.

Reader  - LANG 5397 Theoretical Bases of Translating and Interpreting


References

Beaugrand, R., and Dressler, W., Introduction to Text Linguistics, Van Gorcum, 1981.

Collina, S., Translation Teaching: From Research to the Classroom: A Handbook for Teachers, McGraw Hill, 2003.

Gentile, A., Ozolins, U. & Vasilakakos, M., Liaison Interpreting: A Handbook, Melbourne University Press, 1996

Gillies, A., Note-taking for Consecutive Interpreting – A Short Course, St Jerome, 2005.

Hatim, B. & Mason, I., Discourse and the Translator, Longman, UK, 1990

Jones, R., Conference Interpreting Explained, St Jerome, 1998 (2nd ed. 2002).

Larson, M., Meaning Based Translation, A Guide to Cross-language Equivalence, University Press of America, Lanham, New York, 1984.

Newmark, P., A Textbook of Translation, Prentice Hall, London, 1987, (1)

Newmark, P., Approaches to Translation, Pergamon, Oxford, 1981, (2

Nida, E.A. & Taber, C.R., The Theory and Practice of Translation, E.J.
Brill, 1974

Venutti, L., The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation, Routledge, 1995.


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Two Learning Outcome activities.


Assessment Tasks

Learning Outcome 1.1

  • A word-processed submitted assignment involving exercises on aspects of equivalence at the word level and on issues arising out of these in professional translating and interpreting practice.
  • Weighting - 25%
  • Timing - (F/T) In the middle weeks of the semester as notified by the teacher. 
                     (P/T) In the middle weeks of Semester 1 as notified by the teacher

Learning Outcome 1.2

  • A word-processed submitted assignment involving exercises on aspects of equivalence above the word level and on issues arising out of these in professional translating and interpreting practice.
  • Weighting - 25%
  • Timing - (F/T) In the middle weeks of the semester as notified by the teacher. 
                    (P/T) In the final weeks of Semester 1 as notified by teacher.

Learning Outcome 2.1

  • A word-processed submitted assignment involving exercises on aspects of grammatical equival¬ence, and on issues arising out of these in professional translating and interpreting practice.
  • Weighting - 25%
  • Timing - (F/T) In the later weeks of the semester as notified by teacher.
                    (P/T) In the middle weeks of Semester 2 as notified by teacher.

Learning Outcome 2.2

  • A word-processed submitted assignment involving exercises on aspects of cohesion, information structures, coherence, and implic¬ature; and on issues arising out of these in professional translating and interpreting practice.
  • Weighting - 25 %
  • Timing - (F/T) In the final weeks of the semester as notified by teacher.
                    (P/T) In the final weeks of Semester 2 as notified by teacher.


Assessment Matrix

Other Information

ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES

What do I do if I need help in this course?
You are advised to contact your teacher as soon as any difficulties arise. The Program Coordinator is available for academic advice and support. Once the issue has been identified, the Program Coordinator, in consultation with your teacher and you yourself, will put in place an individual study plan. This might include supple¬mentary assessment, consultation during the conduct of assessment, or granting an extension. Where these measures are inadequate, the Program Coordinator may refer you to University student support services such as student counselling or the Learning Skills Unit.

How can I have my relevant previous study or work/life experience assessed as a way of gaining credit in this course?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) means recognition of competencies currently held, regardless of how, when or where the learning occurred. This includes any combin¬ation of formal or informal training and education, work experience or general life experience.
For RPL to be granted, the applicant must provide evidence that he/she:
• has attained the competencies described in the modules that are being claimed
• possesses current competency in the modules that are being claimed, including underpinning skills and knowledge
• has applied the relevant modules in a context that is applicable to this qualification.
Contact the Program Coordinator for further advice about applying for RPL and suitable evidence requirements.

What are my responsibilities in undertaking this course?
All students are expected to attend classes regularly and complete all set learning and assessment tasks. You are encouraged to seek support in relation to any difficulties you may have at the program level via the Program Coordinator.. Students are expected to act as professionals in the learning environment, a critical capability expected of graduates in their employment.

Special Consideration
You may apply for Special Consideration by using the RMIT Application Form for Special Consideration, which is available from RMIT website. The application, with relevant documentation, must be lodged with the Student Hub prior to or within 48 hours of the commencement of the assessment task in question. Applications for special consideration are considered by the expert panel convened by the Academic Registrar (or nominee).

Plagiarism
You are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism in oral, written or visual presentations is the presentation of the work, idea, or creation of another person, without appropriate referencing as though it is one’s own. Plagiarism is not acceptable. The use of another person’s work or ideas must be acknowledged. Failure to do so may result in charges of academic misconduct, which carry a range of penalties including cancellation of result and exclusion from your course.
You are responsible for ensuring that your work is kept in a secure place. It is also a disciplinary offence for you to allow your work to be plagiarised by another student. You should be aware of all rights and responsibilities regarding the use of copyright material.

COURSE EVALUATION & FEEDBACK

How can I let my teacher know about my experience of this course?
You may discuss this with your teacher at a mutually convenient time. The School distributes confidential course assessment forms at the end of each semester for students to complete. These are analysed and action is taken to remedy defects in teaching or course administration as required. The College also conducts student experience and satisfaction surveys during the semester.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview