IDENTIFYING DATA 2018_19
Subject (*) TRANSLATION STRATEGIES AND PROBLEM-SOLVING (SPANISH-ENGLISH) Code 12845104
Study programme
Professional English-Spanish Translation (2015)
 Cycle 2nd
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
3 Compulsory First 1Q
Language
Anglès
Department English and German Studies
Coordinator
COSTELLO , KEVIN PATRICK
 E-mail ester.torres@urv.cat
kevinpatrick.costello@urv.cat
Lecturers
TORRES SIMÓN, ESTER
COSTELLO , KEVIN PATRICK
Web http://www.intercultural.urv.cat/masters/
General description and relevant information This course is intended for practising translators and graduate students who are interested in a future career in translation or who wish to acquire language and technical skills that will give them added value in their chosen profession. We discuss aspects of translation theory such as skopos, translation loss, translation gain and language bias, and learn several translation techniques at the phrase and sentence levels.

Competences
Type A Code Competences Specific
 A4 Produce a translation following Spanish or English rhetoric conventions and applicable textual genre standards.
 A5 Identify and transfer linguistic variation, cultural elements and pragmatic features in English and Spanish texts. Recognize their function and meaning.
 A6 Describe and self-evaluate comprehension problems in English and Spanish and apply strategies to solve them.
Type B Code Competences Transversal
 B2 Resoldre problemes complexos en contextos multidisciplinaris relacionats amb l'activitat professional de la traducció
Type C Code Competences Nuclear

Learning outcomes
Type A Code Learning outcomes
 A4 Identifica la funció pràctica d'un text en anglès i espanyol
Transfereix amb èxit el tipus textual, la forma lingüística i la funció textual de manera bidireccional en el parell anglès-espanyol en funció de l'encàrrec de traducció
Identifica la funció pràctica d'un text especialitzat en anglès i espanyol
 A5 Transfereix amb èxit elements estilístics, pragmàtics i culturals de manera bidireccional en el parell lingüístic anglès-espanyol en funció de l'encàrrec de traducció
 A6 Desenvolupa estratègies per solucionar els propis problemes de comprensió de manera bidireccional en el parell lingüístic anglès-espanyol
Type B Code Learning outcomes
 B2 Identify problems and take decisions to solve them.
Provide alternative solutions to a problem and evaluate risks and advantages.
Find appropriate solutions.
Type C Code Learning outcomes

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
Lesson 1. Background What is Translation?
Definitions
The external vision
The internal vision
Language bias
Foreignization & domestication
Translation loss & translation gain
Cultural and grammatical transposition
Lesson 2. Cultural transposition strategies Cultural Borrowing
Calque
Equivalence
Translation Label
Translation Couplet
Cultural Transplantation
Lesson 3. Grammatical transposition strategies Literal Translation
Simple Transposition
Modulation
Compensation
Identifying the translation strategies
Practising the translation strategies

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
 Hours outside the classroom
 (**) Total hours
Introductory activities
2 2 4
IT-based practicals
A4
B2
 2 8 10
Problem solving, exercises
A5
B2
 12 18 30
Seminars
A6
 12 12 24
Personal attention
2 0 2
 
Practical tests
A4
A5
A6
B2
 0 5 5
 
(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies
  Description
Introductory activities The course will begin with an initial discussion of the life of the professional translator and the linguistic and technological competences needed to produce quality professional translations efficiently. The course design, structure and format will also be presented and the course assignments and evaluations will be defined.
IT-based practicals Students will be given five translation assignments during the course to be completed via the online course management system.
Problem solving, exercises The consolidation (homework) exercises are designed to enable students to practise the concepts analysed during the group sessions. These exercises will be discussed thoroughly in class during the following group session.
Seminars Six group session will be held during the course to examine several aspects of translation theory. The main focus of the course, however, will be practical with presentations and discussions of numerous cultural and grammatical translation techniques at the phrase and sentence levels. These techniques will be practised thoroughly both inside and outside the classroom.
Personal attention To contact students during the course the tutor will use their official URV email addresses. Students are also welcome to consult their tutor during official office hours or by email.

Personalized attention
Description
To contact students during the course the tutor will use their official URV email addresses. Students are also welcome to consult their tutor during official office hours or by email.

Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
Problem solving, exercises
A5
B2
 Students will complete a short quiz on translation theory and another quiz on cultural and grammatical translation techniques 15%
Practical tests
A4
A5
A6
B2
 Students will complete 3 translation assignments during the course, plus one final translation assignment. 65%
Others  

Students will also be assessed on the completion of their Translation Strategies exercises dossier

20%
 
Other comments and second exam session

Three translation assignments during the course 45%

One final translation assignment 20% One quiz on translation theory 5%

One quiz on cultural and grammatical translation techniques 10%

Completion of Translation Strategies exercises dossier 20%

Sources of information

Basic

There is no text book for this course. Students will be able to access all their learning materials on Moodle. These comprise: (i) a comprehensive instructor-prepared course dossier containing explanations, illustrations, examples and practical exercises; (ii) Word documents with consolidation assignments for each lesson; (iii) PDF documents with sample solutions to each consolidation assignment (these will be uploaded progressively during the course after each assignment deadline has passed); (iv) four writing assignments.
Complementary

Recommendations
(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.