B2616 - METODI E PRATICHE AVANZATE DELLA TRADUZIONE DAL FRANCESE (SECONDA LINGUA) ALL'ITALIANO

Learning outcomes

At the end of the module, students will be familiar with grammatical, lexicographical and encyclopaedic tools, reference corpora and other online and printed reference materials. They know the main translation techniques, methodologies and strategies to be applied in the pre-translation analysis of the source text, in the documentation and in the drafting and revision of the target text, according to the communicative functions of the texts to be translated and the translation assignment. They are able to apply these skills in the translation of a variety of semi-specialist texts from French into Italian, in line with a medium-high level of translation competence.

Course contents

The 40-hour first semester translation course from French into Italian is part of the larger integrated two-semester course Mediazione scritta e orale francese. Interpretazione dialogica tra l’italiano e il francese II (40 hours) will be held in the second semester.

The course aims to develop students’ linguistic knowledge and translation strategies in order to allow them to acquire professional skills in the translation of popular science, essays, literature, and semi-technical texts, mainly related to the arts. Its programme includes the analysis, documentation, translation, revision and editing of various text types dealing with different topics. Students will learn how to deal with the translation process and its different phases.

The preliminary text analysis will be guided by the lecturer and based on the linguistic and pragmatic characteristics of the text type and genre (close reading, contextualization, and in-depth understanding of the text and its linguistic, lexical, morphosyntactic and discursive characteristics in a contrastive perspective with the Italian language). At the same time, the main translation problems related to the structure, language/style, function, and content of the source text will be identified. The best resources – e.g., lexicographical sources, monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, glossaries and databases, parallel texts, and other online resources – will also be taken into consideration to solve possible terminological problems. The most appropriate translating strategies will be introduced and discussed, before applying them to the text.

During the different phases of the translation process and activities students will be encouraged to work both individually and in groups, to reinforce teamwork skills.

Practical translation work will be complemented by a critical reflection, in order to develop a theoretical awareness of the translation process with a view to becoming professional translators.

Students will be asked to translate the texts provided by the lecturer, in order to actively participate in class discussions of translation choices and strategies, and to properly acquire basic translation concepts.

Readings/Bibliography

Texts to be translated will be made available on the e-platform Virtuale.

Further readings:

Delisle, Jean, Hannelore Lee-Jahnke, Monique C. Cormier (eds.) (2002), Terminologia della traduzione, transl. Caterina Falbo and Maria Teresa Musacchio, Milano: U. Hoepli.

Guidère, Mathieu (2010), Introduction à la traductologie : penser la traduction : hier, aujourd’hui, demain, Bruxelles: De Boeck.

Munday, Jeremy (2012), Manuale di studi sulla traduzione, transl. Chiara Bucaria, Bologna: Bononia University Press.

Josiane Podeur (2002), La pratica della traduzione. Dal francese in italiano e dall’italiano in francese, Napoli: Liguori.

Further readings will be provided during classes.

Teaching methods

Students are required to attend at least 70% of classes.

The course will be mainly based on seminars and students are expected to engage and actively participate in class. Texts to be translated will be made available by the lecturer on the e-platform Virtuale. Such texts will cover different text types and topics, in particular a variety of texts dealing with museums and cultural heritage (newspaper articles, reviews, catalogues, essays, children’s literature, etc.) will be presented.

Text analysis, contextualization, comprehension and translation will be complemented by other related exercises such as shortened translation and adaptation. Some classes will be devoted to collaborative translation and revision.

Students are asked to carry out documentary research and translate texts either individually or in groups; translations will then be discussed, corrected, and commented during classes. Some texts translated by students will be corrected and returned to students with individual feedback by the lecturer.

Assessment methods

To assess knowledge of the main translation tools and basic translation methods, the understanding of how to apply them to the translation of a variety of text types, and the ability to identify and apply the basic translation strategies most appropriate to the lexical, morphosyntactic, discursive and terminological characteristics of the text to be translated as well as to its communicative/operational functions, the examination will consist of a written translation from French into Italian of a text of approximately 350-400 words. A written comment discussing, contextualizing and explaining translation choices is required as part of the examination.

Text type and topic will be chosen from one of the areas covered during the course. Students are allowed to use the resources presented in class, as well as the main computer tools (except for Machine Translation tools).

The exam will take place in a computer lab and will last three hours.

An additional score from 0 to 3 points for the comment will be added to the translation mark.

The mid-term mock exam aims at students’ self-assessment and at illustrating how the final exam will be corrected and assessed.

The overall course grade, expressed on a scale of thirty points (Italian system), is calculated as the average of the marks obtained in the two modules that make up the integrated course.

Grading scale

30-30L: Excellent level. The candidate possesses excellent translation skills, with a very high level of competence in the target language.

27-29: Above average level. The candidate makes only minor errors, and shows a solid command of the required skills and competences.

24-26: Generally sound level. The candidate displays a number of shortcomings, indicating a reasonable command of the required skills and competences.

21-23: Adequate level. The candidate displays significant shortcomings and only an adequate command of the required skills and competences.

18-20: The candidate only meets the minimum level required and shows a minimal command of the required skills and competences.

Fail: The candidate does not meet the required standard and shows a wholly inadequate command of the required skills and competences.

 

Students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) or with disabilities that can affect their ability to attend courses are invited to contact the University service for students with disabilities and SLD at the earliest opportunity -- ideally before the start of the course: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students. The University service will suggest possible adjustments to the course work and/or exam, which must then be submitted to the course leader so they can assess their feasibility, in line with the learning objectives of the course. Please note that adjustments to the exam must be requested at least two weeks in advance.

Teaching tools

Lab with networked PC and Internet; Virtuale e-learning platform; mono- and bilingual dictionaries (printed and online).

Texts to be translated will be made available in advance on the e-platform Virtuale. It will be the students’ responsibility to bring them to class in the format they are more comfortable with.

Office hours

See the website of Valeria Illuminati