Note: A placement exam will be required when you arrive on site.

Advanced

This course is designed for students who have completed or tested out of a minimum of four semesters (or six quarters) of college-level Spanish. However, students must take a placement exam to determine the course level into which they will be able to enroll.

This course provides an introduction to translation from Spanish to English and English to Spanish. Particular attention is given to the linguistic issues involved in translation. Short literary works as well as articles will be translated into English as homework assignments. Special emphasis will be placed on Spanish idioms and their translation.

OBJECTIVES
This class is directed to students of advanced-level Spanish, who want to develop their English-Spanish translation abilities. To achieve this, the class will incorporate linguistics, socio-cultural study, and documentation, along with the acquisition of strategies of reading comprehension, written expression, and translation. The linguistic elements we will examine include, but are not limited to, grammar competency and terminology, texts (mechanisms of coherency and cohesion), and pragmatics (types and genres of texts, linguistic varieties). These skills will be complemented with the study of the principal aspects of the theory of translation.

CLASS FORMAT
The course is divided into two parts: the first part consisting of an introduction to translation in general, and the second part consisting of specialized translation (of literary texts, audiovisual material, technology, science, and legal/administrative material). This being a practical subject, there will be several practical exercises, such as the production of one’s own translations, the evaluation of existing translations, and translating the new language back to the original language. These activities will be completed individually, in pairs, or in groups, both in and out of the classroom.

EVALUATION
The final grade consists of the following:
• Attitude and participation in class: Total: 15%
• Individual homework: Three translations (10% each): Total: 30%
• Essay and presentation (in groups): Total: 15%
• Partial Exam: Two translations (10% each): Total: 20%
• Final Exam: Two translations (10% each): Total: 20%
Attendance in class: Following the policy of the University, unexplained absences can lower the final grade of the student.
Assignments: Homework and the essay will be submitted in class on the announced date.

COURSE AGENDA
1. Initiation to translation
• Introduction
Study of translation
Translation process
Translation competency
Sources of documentation
• Elements of Text
Words and sentences
Morphology and syntax
Linguistic varieties
Textual typology
• Strategies of translation
Procedures and methods
2. Specialized Translation
• Translation of literary texts
• Translation of technical texts
• Translation of scientific texts
• Translation of legal/administrative texts
• Translation of audiovideo material

BIBLIOGRAPHY
In class, the necessary material for the course will be announced, and you will be given a bibliography of reference.