Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2017-2018 (archived)
Module SPAN3131: SPANISH TRANSLATION
Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (Spanish)
SPAN3131:
SPANISH TRANSLATION
Type |
Open |
Level |
3 |
Credits |
20 |
Availability |
Available in 2017/18 |
Module Cap |
51 |
Location |
Durham
|
Prerequisites
- Spanish Language 2A (SPAN2011) OR Spanish Language 2B (SPAN2111), OR an equivlent qualification to the satisfaction of the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.
Corequisites
- Modern European Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: Spanish Language 4 (SPAN3011). Other: see Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.
Excluded Combination of Modules
- Students may take up to a total of three Translation/Interpreting modules in MLAC, Spanish Translation (SPAN3131), French Translation (FREN3051), German Interpreting (GERM3041), French Interpreting (FREN3331) and Russian for Professional Communication (RUSS3381). Students may NOT take both French Interpreting (FREN3331) and German Interpreting (GERM3041).
Aims
- To develop skills of translation from and into Spanish and a theoretical understanding of the processes of translation.
Content
- Approaches to translation.
- Regular practice in the translation of a variety of types of text and discussion of the strategies employed.
- Analysis of a published translation.
Learning Outcomes
- An advanced knowledge of grammatical and expressive differences between Spanish and English.
- Understanding of theoretical and practical issues arising from translation processes.
- Enhanced ability to write precisely and effectively in Spanish and English.
- Ability to analyse concisely and critically the process involved in producing a translation.
- The effective use of basic translation tools (dictionaries, term banks, corpora, etc.).
- Communication skills.
- Mediation between languages and cultures.
- IT skills (use of online learning environment, word processing, use of online reference sources.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to
the learning outcomes of the module
- A weekly review class comprises practical exercises involving discussion and group work. Some of these sessions focus on reviewing and building on regular formative translations written individually and in teams.
- A series of lectures and seminars covers the planning of translation strategies and issues arising from the translation of different text types.
- The summative coursework tests students' ability to undertake a substantial translation project with access to a full range of reference sources and to reflect critically upon the process and the problems encountered.
- The end-of-year examination tests students’ ability to carry out short translations from and into Spanish in controlled conditions under pressure (with limited time but with access to reference sources), mimicking the working conditions of an urgent professional translation assignment. The examination is taken in a computer classroom, enabling the submission of word-processed target texts and access to online resources.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
Activity |
Number |
Frequency |
Duration |
Total/Hours |
|
Review Classes |
21 |
Weekly |
1 hour |
21 |
■ |
Lectures |
5 |
5 per year |
1 hour |
5 |
■ |
Seminars |
5 |
5 per year |
1 hour |
5 |
■ |
Preparation and Reading |
|
|
|
169 |
|
Total |
|
|
|
200 |
|
Summative Assessment
Component: Coursework |
Component Weighting: 50% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
coursework - translation of a 1000-word text with a 700-word commentary |
1,700 words |
100% |
No |
Component: Word-Processed Examination |
Component Weighting: 50% |
Element |
Length / duration |
Element Weighting |
Resit Opportunity |
Word-processed examination |
2 hours 30 mins |
100% |
No |
Regular translations.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University