Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Translation

This is an introductory course that answers to a growing interest in the theory and practice of translation from Japanese to English. The genres of texts that will be dealt with include literary works of various kinds (novels, poems, children's books), magazine and newspaper articles, web posts, manga, subtitling of anime and other videos, and texts of technical nature. Students will first learn broadly about the discipline of translation studies, including a history of translation and issues in translation (invisibility of the translator, culturally specific translatability issues, etc.). Students will then learn specific types of translation issues that come up when translating Japanese into English, using excerpts from a variety of genres as case studies. Special attention is paid to the structural differences between Japanese and English, cross-cultural differences in stylistics, writing with clarity, reference work, etc.

Number of Credits

3

Course prerequisites

JPNSE 0002 or JPNSE 1061 or permission of instructor

Instructor(s)