Course Title: Context and Practice of Translation 1B (LOTE into English) Japanese

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2007

Course Code: LANG5433

Course ID: 037752

Course Title: Context and Practice of Translation 1B (LOTE into English) Japanese

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Program Code: 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

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

Co-Requisites:
This course will be delivered concurrently with LANG5395 (VBN931) Discourse Studies for Translators and LANG5397 (VBN933) Theoretical Bases of Translating and Interpreting.

Course Description

The course aims to provide students with skills and knowledge in written transfer, the primary competency of the Professional Translator, and the ability to apply relevant contextual knowledge required of particular assignments.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBN929 Context and Practice of Translation 1B (LOTE into English) Japanese


Learning Outcomes


1. Translate relatively simple passages from LOTE into English
2. Research, present and discuss contextual issues relevant to professional translation practice.


Overview of Learning Activities


Details of Learning Activities

In small groups you will develop the skills and knowledge to perform complex translation tasks. In particular, the instruction will aim to assist you to:
• Undertake translation tasks from the LOTE into English, involving a range of ancillary skills as incorporated into aspects of textual analysis: context, idiom, collocation, register, stylistics, etc.
• Use monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, thesauri and other appropriate databases used by professional translators in an appropriate manner.
• Compile monolingual and bilingual glossaries and databases in line with Australian and international professional practices.
• Develop appropriate translation techniques, such as transference, cultural equivalence, functional equivalence, transposition and ability to evaluate the merits and demerits of such techniques.
• Link translation practice to the theoretical frameworks studied in Theoretical Bases of Interpreting & Translating, and to the ethical, professional and role aspects studied in Ethics and Professional Practice of Interpreting & Translating.
• Understand and apply the meaning-based approach to translation.
• Produce highly accurate translations containing no major errors, particularly those that extend beyond the word / phrase level and lead a student into making subsequent significant errors of cause / effect, etc.
• Produce complete translations (no ‘censoring’, summarising or providing extraneous information).
• Make appropriate choice of vocabulary, particularly medium- and high-frequency vocabulary.
• Ensure correct spelling, punctuation and capitalisation, and where applicable, correct formation of script or ideographs.
• Choose appropriate register.
• Transfer lines of cohesion (causes and effects, and inter-relationships between elements) and maintain the logical order of the original argument.
• Demonstrate proficiency in grammar of both languages and general absence of systemic grammar errors that permeate the entire translation (eg in English, consistently choosing inappropriate tenses, singular/plural, articles, etc).
• Recognise and understand idioms in the source language and apply appropriate strategies to translate idioms.
• Avoid non-idiomatic language, particularly where it would impede understanding of the target text.
• Avoid collocational errors, including use of inappropriate collocations from the source language (eg when translating into English, choosing the source-language collocation ‘hard money’ in¬stead of the English word ‘coins’).
• Deal proficiently with problems at and above the word level in the source text.
• Proofread to eliminate errors such as missed words or phrases.
• Use translator’s notes appropriately (i.e. neither under-used nor over-used, and clearly identified as translator’s notes in one of the commonly accepted ways)
• Use available resources, including the Internet, to research contextual issues relevant to translation projects.


Teaching Schedule

Students will be provided with a program calendar outlining a series of weekly themes/topics that form a guide for study and practice.

Learning Outcome assessment tasks 1 & 2 to be scheduled during the semester as notified by teacher.

Learning Outcome 3 - Formal Examination to take place during the University’s formal examination period immediately following the end of semester.

Overview of Learning Resources


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

What will I need access to for this course?


Learning materials will largely be generated by the teachers involving a range of written materials (from the press, Internet, media and government publications, etc.) as the module is specifically targeted to developing practical translation skills appropriate to NAATI professional practice. Students may need to access the following text:
Baker, M., In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation, Routledge, London, 1999.


Overview of Assessment

Two Learning Outcome activities and one exam.


Assessment Tasks

Learning Outcome 1
Application of contextual knowledge to a translation text: A short class presentation on a translated text, identifying contextual factors and their role in the translation process. (25%)

Learning Outcome 2
Class test: reflecting NAATI formal exams conditions, translate two embodying a reasonable degree of difficulty from LOTE into English. (25%)

Learning Outcome 3
Formal examination. Translate two out of three passages embodying a reasonable degree of difficulty from the LOTE into English under NAATI exam conditions. (50%)

Course Overview: Access Course Overview