70319 - Translation from Chinese into Italian I (Second Language)

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Adriana Iezzi
  • Credits: 5
  • SSD: L-OR/21
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Intercultural and Linguistic Mediation (cod. 8059)

Learning outcomes

Students know the basic translation tools (grammars, dictionaries and textual corpora) and methods (analysis of the meaning of the source text and its transposition into the target text) and are able to apply them in the translation of a variety of simple texts from Chinese into Italian. Students are able to identify and apply the most suitable basic translation strategies for the communication /operational functions of the source texts.

Course contents

The course will focus on the translation of texts of different types (narrative, descriptive, audiovisual and songs) and growing difficulty. The content of the texts will concern traditional Chinese festivals, with a particular attention to the Spring Festival. Starting from the textual, linguistic and syntactic analysis of the various texts, we will compare the different expressive characteristics of Chinese and Italian languages and students will learn some basic translation techniques to translate from Chinese into Italian. Particular attention will be paid to the analysis of the register of the written language in opposition to the spoken language.

Readings/Bibliography

Colangelo L. (a cura di), Buone Feste! Breve raccolta di storie popolari cinesi, Milano: Hoepli, 2013.

Other texts will be also provided by the teacher and uploaded on the e-learning platform of the course.

Printed dictionaries (suggested):

Casacchia G., Bai Yukun, Dizionario cinese - italiano, Libreria editrice Cafoscarina, 2013.

Zhao Xiuying, Il Dizionario di cinese. Dizionario cinese – italiano / italiano - cinese, Zanichelli, 2013.

Online dictionaries (suggested):

www.iciba.com

www.zdic.com

www.mdbg.net

Teaching methods

Lessons will be structured as follows: 1) presentation by the teacher of the Chinese festivity introduced in the selected text; 2) presentation by the teacher of type, genre and function of the selected text; 3) reading of the text and linguistic/syntactic analysis of the text by the students with the support of the teacher; 4) translations by the students; 5) translation revision through comparison and discussion of different translation hypotheses; 6) final reflections.

Additional translation exercises may be assigned as homework for individual practice.

Assessment methods

The written exam will be divided into two parts:

  1. the translation of excerpts from the texts analyzed during the lessons (no dictionaries are allowed);
  2. the translation of one new text of the same type of those translated during the entire course (printed dictionaries are allowed).

The exam will last two hours.

The evaluation will be in thirtieths; for each mistake will be subtracted from 0,5 to 2 points depending on the seriousness of the mistake.

The evaluation of the exam will be conformed to the following evaluation scale:

  • 30-30L Excellent level. The candidate possesses excellent translation/language skills, with a very high level of competence in the target language /(or) in the language and culture being studied.

  • 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 Minim level. The candidate only meets the minimum level required and shows a minimal command of the required skills and competences.

  • < 18 Fail. The candidate’s does not meet the required standard and shows a wholly inadequate command of the required skills and competences.

This module is part of the course " Traduzione tra l’Italiano e il Cinese I ". The final mark is the average grade of the two final marks of the two parts of the whole course (“Traduzione dal cinese in italiano I” and “Traduzione dall'italiano in cinese I”).

Teaching tools

  • Computer, video-projector, Internet connection
  • Standard printed dictionaries
  • Online dictionaries
  • E-learning platform (Moodle Platform): http://moodle.sslmit.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Adriana Iezzi

SDGs

Quality education

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.