Texts in Transit: Translating from French to English
Course Description
Summary
In this course we will practice translating from French into English. We will work on developing a mindfulness about language use as well as a comparative eye focused on English and French’s stylistic and structural preferences. Grammar and lexical development will also be on offer and will highlight points where the two languages converge and diverge. Thematically, we will examine questions surrounding translating race/class and gender as we focus on translation as a form of cultural mediation. Introduction to translating film through subtitles. Workshops will allow us to share our work and develop new strategies. This course is designed for both intermediate-high and advanced students and will allow them to work together in a workshop setting.
Learning Outcomes
- 1. Developing skill in the practice of translation thereby strengthening reading and writing skills in French (and English)
2. Developing an intuitive sense of French and English’s functioning, stylistic and structural preferences.
3. Understanding different types of translation and a sense of the translation type suited to a particular genre of text
4. Understanding that language is rooted in culture and of the variety of ways for translating and communicating cultural difference
5. Understanding the problems and complexities of translation, and the translator's role as intermediary.
6. Learning more vocabulary and improving memory/recall
7. Testing the abilities and limitations of computer-assisted translation
Prerequisites
Instructor's permission: previous French study/placement at the intermediate-high or advanced level.
Please contact the faculty member : sshapiro@bennington.edu
Corequisites
Enrollment in first 7-weeks French course: either Life Stories or L'Afrance: un livre/un film
Language series and French table (2)