69309 - Translation from Italian into French I (First Language)

Course contents

The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the theoretical and practical aspects of the translation profession. The lessons intend to determine the most appropriate translation strategies (macro and micro strategies adopted by students to identify problems).
Specific exercises will be used to consolidate a professional translation methodology using the following scheme: 1) 'close and careful' reading of the text to be translated, highlighting problematic terms or text segments for reformulation into French; 2) pre-translation: honed interpretation of the text, documentary research to ensure full understanding of the topic and search for terminology with particular attention to problems of reliability/quality/limitations; planning of best strategies to resolve the identified problems; 3) translation: re-formulation of the text in the target language seeking to render the sense of the source text; preparation of a draft; 4) re-writing: re-composition of new material respecting the forms and formulations used in French; 5) revision and quality control: re-reading and corrections; 6) submission of the finished job.
All students will be asked to work individually and also collectively on the texts provided by the teacher in order to ensure the best input to discussion of translation choices, as well as effective organisation of the notions with a view to the final examination. In order to realise independently a dynamic architecture of knowledge, students will also be asked to undertake specific documentary and terminological research, to reflect on the use of parallel texts, to draw up individual functional glossaries, and become acquainted with the use of new technologies so as to exploit these resources and master communication techniques. Furthermore, the course will seek to raise students' awareness of translation technologies.

Readings/Bibliography

The following titles are only indicative. They should be useful to have a better knowledge of Translation Studies considered as a practical and theoretical framework for the translator. A list of Internet resources will also be provided at the beginning of the course :

Theory
Gile, D. (2005), La Traduction : la comprendre, l'apprendre, Paris : PUF.
Guidère, M. (2008). Introduction à la traductologie : penser la traduction : hier, aujourd'hui, demain. (1e éd.). Bruxelles, Belgique: De Boeck.
Osimo, B (2001) Propedeutica della traduzione, Hoepli, Milano
Dictionnaries
Garzanti : I grandi dizionari, Francese, De Agostini Scuola – Garzanti
G. Devoto, G. C. Oli : Dizionario Devoto Oli della lingua italiana, Firenze, Felice Le Monnier
Robert : Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Dictionnaire alphabétique et analogique de la langue française, Paris, Dictionnaires Le Robert
Grammar textbooks
Bidaud, Grammaire du français pour italophones, terza edizione, UTET, De Agostini, Novara.
M. Grevisse, A. Goosse: Le Bon Usage, 14ème édition, Bruxelles, De Boeck-Duculot
J. Hanse, D. Blampain : Nouveau dictionnaire des difficultés du français moderne, 5ème édition, Bruxelles, De Boeck

Teaching methods

Translation of short texts as well as a translation projects on larger texts will be used as a material to discuss the most appropriate translation strategies for the text to be translated.

The translation project will be processed in small groups of 3 or 4 students and will lead to a definitive product and an short oral presentation of the main problems encountered during the translation. A list of the Internet resources used by the students shall also be delivered.  

A corpus of texts will be progressively provided by the teacher at the beginning of the course via the onedrive wiki of the university. Student translations will also be uploaded on the same support in order to allow comparisons and analysis.

Assessment methods

Learning process will be assessed through a final test consisting on an individual translation of a 250-300 words text linked with the main topics. Students will access computer and online resources.

One or two translation projects (individual and collective) will be organized and assessed during the lessons.

Teaching tools

In addition to the Onedrive wiki system, students will use monolingual printed and electronic dictionaries, encyclopedias, the press and the Internet.

Office hours

See the website of Yannick Hamon