82046 - Specialized Translation from Italian into Chinese

Learning outcomes

The student knows the strategies, techniques, traditional and state-of-the-art tools and methods used in specialized translation tasks; s/he is able to apply them to the translation of technical and scientific texts from different genres and text types, from Italian into Chinese, meeting specific translation briefs and respecting the communicative functions of the source texts; s/he knows the basic techniques required for information mining, drafting, editing and revising texts, including the overall quality evaluation of the translated text.

Course contents

The course will take place in the second semester. It aims to deepen students' translation competence, enabling them to approach and translate specialized texts of various types and genres within the commercial and technical fields.

Throughout the course, students will become familiar with the cultural, sector-specific, and linguistic features that characterize such texts. They will also learn to take into due account, in their translations, the textual and extratextual factors that define the translation context and influence translation methods.

The course also includes moments of collaborative discussion and revision, where students will have the opportunity to discuss their translation choices, compare them with alternative solutions, and thus develop a critical and reflective approach to translation practice.

Readings/Bibliography

References:

Paternicò L.M., Varriano V., Tian H., Grammatica della lingua cinese. Torino: UTET 2021.

Romagnoli C., Grammatica cinese. Milano: Hoepli, 2012.

Casacchia G., Bai Yukun, Dizionario cinese - italiano. Venezia: Cafoscarina, 2013.

Xiandai hanyu cidian 现代汉语词典. Shanghai: Shangwu yinshuguan, 2016.

Further readings:

Pesaro N. (ed.), La traduzione del cinese: Riflessioni, strategie e tipologie testuali. Milano: Ulrico Hoepli Editore, 2023

Scarpa F., La traduzione specializzata. Milano: Hoepli, 2002.

Gouadec, D., Translation as a Profession. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2007.

Teaching methods

During the lectures, students will be asked to take active part in the analysis of the source text and in the elaboration of the translation.

Assessment methods

The exam, with a duration of 2.5 hours, will consist in the translation of a technical-legal text with an approximate length of 300 words. It is strictly forbidden to use AI during the exam. Any violation of this rule will be considered a serious
breach of academic ethics. Use of paperback and digital tools (glossaries, dictionaries and corpora) created or introduced during the course will be allowed.

Score scale:

30-30L
Student shows an excellent command of the language use, as well as research skills during the topic-related preparation and glossary creation.

27-29
Student shows a good command of the language use with only minor errors, as well as research skills during the topic-related research and glossary creation.

24-26

Student demonstrates knowledge of the main grammatical topics, though with some evident errors and lacks.

21-23

Student demonstrates major problems and imprecisions in language use and in topic-realted research and glossary creation.

18-20

Student demonstrate a basic level of linguistic knowledge, with major grammatical, lexical or phonological errors and evident lacks in translation skills.

<18 insufficient

Basic knowledge has not been acquired, student is unable to complete the test.

The final mark of the course of Specialized translation between Chinese and Italian is defined on the average of the marks received in Specialized Translation from Italian into Chinese and Specialized Translation from Chinese into Italian.

Teaching tools

Texts to be translated will be made available on Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Yingying Ding