SPANISH 576: ADVANCED SPANISH TRANSLATION Spring 2006 W 7:20PM-10:00PM T232 Professor: Magdalena E. LoGrande Telephone: (703) 993-1229 E-mail: mlogrand@gmu.edu Department of Modern and Classical Languages George Mason University Office: Thompson 215B Office hours: Tue/Thu 10:30am-12pm, Wed 7pm-7:20pm and by appointment

The Rosetta Stone http://www.meta-library.net/media/rosetta-body.html

 

Course description:

 

Span 576 is designed for advanced students of Spanish who want to develop translation skills from and into this language. The course will have a practical and inductive approach. Classes will be devoted to interpretive analysis of weekly readings, translation practicals and to the discussion of translation problem-solving strategies used by students in the completion of their weekly assignments. The texts to be translated will be of different registers, genres, dialectal varieties and subjects. Although grammar issues will undoubtedly be part of our class discussions, this is a translation course and not a grammar course. Students are expected to have an advanced level of Spanish. This is also a graduate course and it will require a substantial amount of reading and writing on a weekly basis. The course will be conducted mostly in Spanish, although,  given the nature of the course itself, English may also be used occasionally, especially when discussing English-language readings.

 

El traductor no es tanto un escritor como un lector -- Gregory Rabassa

 

Course website: http://webct41.gmu.edu/                                                                                                                                                                                   

Course requirements:

Students are expected to prepare for class by reading the selected texts beforehand as specified in the schedule and they should be ready to interpret the readings and respond to the exercises and practicals associated with those readings. Since a considerable portion of the class will be devoted to active individual and group translation as well as workshop-style discussion,  in-class participation is essential.  For the same reasons, students need to bring all three required texts (including dictionary) to class every week.

There will be one in-class mid-term oral presentation, explaining and justifying a proposed translation. Students will submit a source text of their choice two weeks prior to the presentation date. Both the source text and target text (the proposed and annotated translation) will be posted on WebCT at least 3 days prior to the presentation date.  More information on the length, format, grading criteria and other aspects regarding the presentation will also be posted on the course website.

Students will create a translation assignment portfolio, which will include all 12 translation assignments, with pertinent footnotes, comments, annotations and addenda. This portfolio will be a valuable measure of the students’ progress as well as a record of their personal style and strategic approach to translation problem-solving. These 12 weekly assignments will be Spanish>English translations and the source texts will be available on WebCT at least two weeks prior to the due date.

 The final project,  in the form of a take-home translation assignment, will be due on the day of the final exam, in lieu of it.

Grading::

Before-class preparation and  active in-class participation          30%

Mid-term oral presentation                                                             15%   

Translation assignment portfolio                                                    40%

Final project                                                                                      15%  

 

Required readings:

 

1. Lunn, Patricia V. and Lunsford, Ernest J. En otras palabras. Perfeccionamiento del español por medio de la traducción. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown     University Press, 2003.

 

2. Hervey, Sandor G.J., Higgins, Ian, and Haywood, Louise M., Thinking Spanish Translation: A Course in Translation Method, Spanish to English. London:   Routledge, 1995.

 

3. A good Spanish-English dictionary (not a pocket dictionary):           

Larousse Unabridged Dictionary: Spanish-English / English-Spanish

Oxford Spanish Dictionary (Hardcover)

Langenscheidt’s New College Spanish Dictionary: Spanish-English, English-Spanish (Hardcover)

 

Highly recommended:

1. Butt, John, and Benjamin, Carmen.  A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish .  4^th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004.

 

A list of research materials and electronic resources will be posted on WebCT.

 

Semester schedule:                                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

A typical class session will start with a review and interpretation of the materials read prior to coming to class, to be followed by exercises and practicals related to the topics addressed by those materials. After a short mid-class break, we will proceed to discuss the translation assignment due that day, concentrating on the potential problems posed by the source text, how different students handled them and how general strategies can be derived from particular cases. We will conclude our session with a brief reading and commentary of the translation assignment due at the next session. 

Honor Code

In order to promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work. All written work must be done independently, and quotes and bibliographical sources must be noted as such. Any exceptions to the Honor Code (e.g., peer review activities) will be explicitly announced by your instructor. Any students who are unsure of any of the policies regarding independent work are responsible for requesting clarification from their instructor. Please read the entire honor code at http://www.gmu.edu/departments/unilife/honorcode.html

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities are encouraged to discuss their accommodation requirements with each Professor in order to foster direct communication. The George Mason Disability Resource Center staff will work collaboratively with you to choose the most appropriate and effective accommodations and resources. In order to register, make an appointment (703-993-2474) with a DRC consultant to request accommodations, or, for more information, go to http://www.gmu.edu/student/drc/