Foreign Languages 5250 (CRN 15325)
Honors 4900 (CRN 16384)

The Practice & Theory of Literary Translation

Dr. Jeffrey Angles (jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu)

Spring 2008 / W 4:00-6:20 pm / 2209 Dunbar Hall

Office Hours: TR 12:00-1:00 pm or by appointment

Office: 518 Sprau Tower / Tel. No.: 269-387-3044

http://homepages.wmich.edu/~jangles/courses/2008spring/lang5250

Spatial Poem No. 1 (1965) 
By SHIOMI Mieko 

Image from Alexandra Munroe, Japanese Art After 1945:
Scream Against the Sky (NY: Harry N. Abrams, 1994) 235.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

· Introduction

· Goals of the Class

· Grading

· On Individual Project Presentations

· On Internet Participation

· Required Texts

· Additional Notes

· Course Readings & Schedule

· Make-Ups / Late Work

· Academic Integrity

· Other Recommended Reading

INTRODUCTION

Translation has played a critical role in the development of literature throughout history.  These influences are rarely one-sided, however.  One could point to the tremendous influence of translations of French and Belgian symbolist poetry on Japanese poets such as Kitahara Hakushū (1885-1942) as well as the profound impact of translations of Chinese and Japanese poetry on Western imagists such as Ezra Pound (1885-1972) to show that translations have played a critical role in spurring new literary movements all over the world.

Theories of translation and the role of the translator, however, have changed significantly over time.  At times, translators have been seen as little more than middlemen pouring words from the vessel of one language to the vessel of another; however, this view neglects the enormous role that the translator plays in shaping the text.  The translator is typically faced with the question of whether to modify the world of the text in order to make it accessible to the target culture or whether to attempt to bring the readers toward the culture that produced the text.  How different translators respond to these issues has a large bearing on the ways that the target audience sees the world of the text and culture that produced it.

This seminar brings together students of multiple languages to talk about translation in both its theoretical and practical aspects.  The course divides time evenly between discussion of theoretical writings on translation and discussion of the practical side of translation.  During the theoretical discussion, class discussion will focus on articles about the kinds of bias that translators might bring to their text, the various possible modes for translating different sorts of texts, some of the ways that translation has shaped literary history, and the relationship between translation, nationalism, international representation, literary fame, gender, and representivity.

For the hours dedicated to the practical side of translation, students will be required to translate one brief text of their own choosing from another language into English.  Each week, we will examine the progress of one or two students, discuss the problems of translating from his or her particular language, the textual issues raised by the act of translation, and practical approaches to address these issues.  In this way, the seminar couples discussion of the issues inherently raised by translation with a concrete exploration of the nuts and bolts of the act of translation itself.  Living in our postmodern world of rapid globalization, these issues have significant implications for our daily lives.

GOALS OF THE CLASS:

· To examine the implications of translation, as both as art and as an act of writing, especially in relation to issues of authority, power, canonization, gender, and globalization.

· To provide a survey of the burgeoning field of translation studies.

· To create a forum in which students can work on an individual translation project of their own choosing.

· To create a cross-linguistic environment in which students from different linguistic backgrounds can discuss the challenges of translating from their particular language.

GRADING:

· 30% Two short take-home essay questions (5-7 pp. each)

· 20% Presentations on status and problems of individual research project

· 20% Final status of translation project 

· 20% Final exam

· 10% Participation in internet discussion

The instructor promises to have graded essays and other materials to students within two weeks after students submitted their work.  

ON PRESENTATIONS REGARDING INDIVIDUAL PROJECT:

· Beginning in the late part of the second week, approximately half of the class time of each class period will be dedicated to student presentations on status and problems of their individual translation project.  

· Each student should expect to report to the class on their project twice or three times per semester, depending on the size of the class.

· When presenting, students should bring copies of the following for all students.

· (1) a copy of one original passage from the text being translated

· (2) a translation that is as literal as possible

· (3) a more polished, "finished" translation

· (4) a list of problems, difficulties, and issues encountered in translating the passage. 

· The class will work through the passage with the presenter, discussing the problems encountered, the readability of the translation, and other various issues as they arise.  

ON INTERNET PARTICIPATION:

In order to facilitate discussion about the reading assignments, all students should post a reaction and/or question regarding the reading assignments each week, starting in the second week.  The questions should be submitted to the course discussion list by 1:00 pm the day of the day of class.  Students can submit questions regarding the content of the essays, the historical context, the biases of the writer(s), problems of the argument, points that the writer(s) do not cover sufficiently, and so on.  

How to post a question to the discussion boards of WebCT Vista:

· Go to http://gowmu.wmich.edu & enter your user name & password.

· Click on "My E-Learning Through Vista."

· Click on "HNRS 4900."

· Click on "Discussions" on the left side of the page.  (This may appear as an icon of a push pin.)

· Click on week for which you want to write a comment.

· Click on “Create message.”

· Write your comments or questions for the week.

· When finished, click "post."

TEXTBOOKS:                                               

Required:

· Lawrence VENUTI, ed., The Translation Studies Reader, 2nd ed (NY: Routledge, 2004).

· Douglas H. ROBINSON, Becoming a Translator: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Translation (NY: Routledge, 2003).

Recommended:

· David MACEY, Dictionary of Critical Theory (NY: Penguin, 2000).