Module FREN3051: FRENCH TRANSLATION

Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (French)

FREN3051: FRENCH TRANSLATION

Prerequisites

• French Language 2 (FREN2051) OR an equivalent qualification to the satisfaction of the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.

Corequisites

• Modern Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: French Language 4 (FREN3041). 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 two Translation/Interpreting modules in MLAC, Spanish Translation (SPAN3131), French Translation (FREN3051), Specialised Arabic-English Translation (ARAB3041), 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

• The module seeks to develop students' skills in written translation from French to English and from English to French and to instil an awareness of the theoretical issues involved.

Content

• There will be two major components to the module: The first component will be a practical language class, meeting for one hour weekly throughout the year, to undertake translation from and into French, with regular formative assignments, and assessed by a two-hour written examination.
• The second component will be a lecture/seminar hour, assessed by an essay.
• The component will begin with four lectures on the history, principles and nature of translation, to be followed by seminars in which students will prepare for the assessed essay.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the course students should have developed their translation skills (from French into English and from English into French) and their knowledge and understanding of translation issues and the terms and concepts used in analysing them.

• To enable students to draw on the appropriate theoretical terms and concepts in the analysis of an existing translation; to locate and make appropriate use of reference material from a variety of sources.

• Extended development of general written communication skills.
• The ability to discuss topical or general issues with a high degree of fluency.
• An extended ability to gather, process and evaluate critically information and evidence from a variety of paper, audiovisual and electronic sources.
• An extended ability to read complex and multivalent text with intellectual nuance, and a sensitivity to context and genre.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• French-English and English-French translation is taught in weekly practical translation classes
• Translation commentary is taught through a series of four lectures and four seminars

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Regular translation exercises. 1,200-word commentary

■ 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