Introduction to Literary Translation
WRCT 216
Spring 2025
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
COL 286, ENGL 270, RL&L 216 |
In the first part of the semester, we'll discuss what, exactly, literary translation is, and we'll take a look at some long-standing debates in the field--is translation a form of creative writing, can a text be translated word-for-word, should translators modernize the language of older works--as well as some of the more recent debates surrounding large-language models and machine translation: wouldn't it be much easier to simply paste a novel in Google Translate or ChatGPT and go with it? From there, we'll dive into some of the practical strategies translators use by looking at everything from book titles (Dostoyevsky's Bésy, for example, which has appeared in English as Demons, The Devils, and The Possessed) to single sentences (such as the opening of Camus' L'Étranger) to longer paragraphs and passages from literary works that have now appeared in multiple English translations (such as Kafka's Die Verwandlung). Students will then use their newly filled "translator's toolbox" to plan, draft, and ultimately share their own translations with the rest of the class, while also learning to provide focused, supportive feedback for each other along the way. The emphasis in this workshop portion of the class is less on final products than on process. As such, students will keep a "translator's diary" in which they explain, analyze, and reflect on their developing process. Note: Knowledge of a second language is not required for this course, but you will be asked to consult with a native user of the language you wish to translate from for your final project. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA WRCT |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
| Instructor(s): Bloom,Ryan Times: .M.W... 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: 116MTV102; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 12 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 3 | FR: 3 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 7 | 1st Ranked: 2 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 1 | 4th Ranked: 4 | Unranked: 0 |
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