Module MELA48230: Translation Practica and Work Placement

Department: Modern Languages and Cultures

MELA48230: Translation Practica and Work Placement

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• This module aims to develop students’ understanding of contemporary translation practices through interlingual, intralingual and intersemiotic transfer, including asymmetrical rendition, transcreation and audio-description. It introduces modern practices used in today’s translation industry and intercultural projects and addresses the complexities of managing multilingual and multicultural projects in a business context, with an introduction to key project management methods and practices. Students will develop advanced practical, analytical and transferable skills for working across languages, cultures and media, and will apply these in a professional environment through either an external or in-house work placement, in the UK or abroad, in accordance with University regulations, gaining experience from practitioners while taking responsibility for their professional development. All core concepts and practices in this module are delivered in English. Students who wish to undertake their placement in a language other than English must demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency, to be agreed in advance with the module convenor.

Content

• The module will feature the practice of a variety of kinds of interlingual, intralingual and intersemiotic transfer, such as transcreation, audio description and plain language.
• It introduces modern practices employed in today’s translation industry and in intercultural projects. It also examines the complexities of managing multilingual and multicultural projects within a business context, providing an introduction to key project management methods and professional practices.
• Students taking this module will have agreed and signed an agreement for a work placement with a provider by the last week of Epiphany Term. The student can take up a work placement among existing agreements between Durham University and employers, or a placement found by the student.
• Students who agree their own work placements outside those provided will have to formulate clear learning outcomes they expect to attain from the experience and agree with the module coordinator the details of their work experience, prior to starting the work placements.

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of contemporary translation practices, including interlingual, intralingual and intersemiotic transfer.
• Explain key concepts in asymmetrical rendition, transcreation and audio-description.
• Critically analyse the role of translation within multilingual and multicultural business and intercultural contexts.
• Understand the principles and methods of managing multilingual and multicultural projects, including core project management practices.

• Apply advanced practical and analytical skills to a range of translational tasks across languages, cultures and media.
• Perform interlingual, intralingual and intersemiotic transfer in response to different briefs and project requirements.
• Produce effective and context-appropriate audio description scripts in accordance with professional conventions and accessibility guidelines.
• Analyse and justify translational decisions in relation to purpose (skopos), audience and context.
• Apply project management principles in the planning and execution of multilingual and multicultural projects.
• Demonstrate professional competence through engagement in a work placement or simulated professional environment.

• Design and implement intercultural consultancy scenarios while analysing and explaining relevant working techniques to stakeholders.
• Plan, coordinate and manage multilingual and multicultural projects, including resource allocation, time management (individual and team), risk management and quality control procedures.
• Assess the professional competencies required of a project manager in the translation industry and evaluate the complexity of business practices in project management contexts.
• Identify translation problems, propose effective solutions and ensure quality through revision, validation and final checking processes.
• Communicate effectively in oral and written forms across professional contexts, producing clearly structured and professionally presented work.
• Demonstrate teamwork, initiative, organisational and IT skills, and reflect critically on personal performance against defined targets.

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

• The module is taught through classes combining lectures and seminars in which students are introduced to translational/intercultural practices and implementing them individually and in groups.
• The module includes of a minimum of 120 working hours of work placement (the equivalent of at least three weeks of full-time work experience or 6 weeks part-time) normally to be completed during June – July.
• The module is assessed through three assignments: two of 2,000 words and one of 1,000 words, focusing on one or more contemporary translational and/or intercultural practices.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

In-class presentations Student-led group project work and discussions

■ 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.