Module FREN3511: Translatio and Transformations of French Culture

Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (French)

FREN3511: Translatio and Transformations of French Culture

Prerequisites

• French Language 2 (FREN2051) OR an equivalent qualification to the satisfaction of the Chair of the Board of Studies in MLAC or their representative.

Corequisites

• Modern Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: French Language 4 (FREN3041). Other: see Chair of the Board of Studies in MLAC or their representative.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To examine translation as a cultural practice within French history and culture. Taking as its starting point the medieval concept of translatio - that is, an expanded notion of translation that encompasses reinterpretation through different modes of expression - the module will analyse acts of cultural transformation associated with particular Francophone authors, texts, or historical moments.

Content

• Topics to be covered may include: historical conceptions of translation, issues related to Translation Theory, literary translation, intermedial translations between texts, image, music, theatre, and film, and translation as a phenomenon that is temporal, spatial, cultural and/or linguistic.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module, students will be able to:
• develop a broader understanding of translation as a multimodal cultural practice
• develop an awareness of the significance of translation and translational acts at given moments in French history
• gain a clearer understanding of linguistic and literary translation by studying broader concepts of translation
• appreciate the fluidity of cultural and literary artefacts in response to changing circumstances of reception

• By the end of this module, students will be able to:
• apply concepts from translation theory to instances of translation in the expanded sense (e.g. film adaptations, literary adaptations, theatrical versions, musical performances)
• perform acts of translation that are on a continuum with, but not limited to, linguistic translation.
• improve their translation skills by engaging creatively with intermedial translation
• gain analytical skills from comparative close reading

• By the end of this module, students will have acquired:
• translation skills
• analytical and close reading skills
• writing skills
• research skills

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

• Weekly lectures will offer theoretical frameworks and case studies that will provide a starting point for translation and analysis in the seminars. Each block of lectures will analyse a range of "acts of translation" relating to a coherent topic, author, or text.
• Fortnightly seminars will encourage students to engage with the material taught in lectures through a range of activities that will include: translation of primary texts; analysis of existing translation; revising existing translations; intermedial translations; comparative readings.
• Summative assignments will assess the ability to analyse translation practices and to engage with broader notions of translation in the students' own practice. The final assessment will consist of a dossier containing three different translations relating to a topic of the students' choice (these may include: interlingual translation, translation into a different genre, creative adaptation into a different medium, etc), with an accompanying commentary explaining how the different translations are informed by the concepts studied on the module.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

The first short summative provides formative support for the next summative

■ 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