This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2006-2007 (archived)
Module MEIS3041: SPECIALISED TRANSLATION
Department: Government and International Affairs (Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies)
MEIS3041: SPECIALISED TRANSLATION
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 3 | 20 | Available in 2006/2007 | None. | Durham |
Tied To
- T621: Arabic with Persian (see Undergraduate Handbook 2005-2006 for details)
- T622: (programme not found)
- T6L1: Arabic with Economics
- T6L2: Arabic with Politics (see Undergraduate Handbook 2005-2006 for details)
- T6T9: Arabic with a Modern European Language
Pre-requisites
- Intermediate Written Arabic (MEIS2012).
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To provide students with a basic framework for understanding and evaluating aspects of Arabic-English translation, and to develop their own translation competence.
Content
- The taught element combines practical work in translation with a consideration of relevant aspects of translation theory, and of the differences between typical rhetorical features of English and Arabic.
- The focus is on argumentative texts (political polemic, newspaper editorials), and literary texts.
- These are chosen because they contain a large number of rhetorical and other features of a type which present a challenge to the translator.
- Translation materials are also taken from other kinds of texts, including anecdotes, popular science and academic articles.
- The main text is "Thinking Arabic Translation" by Sandor Hervey, James Dickins and Ian Higgins.
- Extensive reference is also made to 'In Other Words' by Mona Baker.
- This supplements the material in "Thinking Translation", and is particularly appropriate because of its wide use of Arabic examples.
- Other works which are drawn on include "Translation Strategies for an Arabic Political Argumentative Text", by TC Calderbank, "The Arabic Language Today" by AFL Beeston, "A Textbook of Translation" by Peter Newmark and "Discourse and the Translator" by B Hatim and I Mason.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- .
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 39 | Three per week (Term 1 and first 4 weeks of Term 2) | 1 hour | 39 | |
| Other (Individual Supervision) | 4 | Fortnightly (Term 2 only) | 30 minutes | 2 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 159 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 100% | translation project 2000 words of Arabic text | 100% |
Formative Assessment
4 Arabic-English hand-in translation assignments over Michaelmas term and first 4 weeks of Epiphany terms.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.