FREN 310 - Introduction to Translation

Prerequisite, FREN 201. oday, nations and populations are increasingly intertwined in business, communications, and the arts. As we navigate between cultures and languages, translation has become essential and represents a growing field. The goal of this course is to examine the many facets of translation in theory and practice. As such then, students from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds are invited to participate. In this introduction to translation studies, we will look at a range of texts and translation issues to begin to understand the broad scope of translation in today’s globalized world. Topics covered will include literary prose and poetry, but also the type of subjects encountered in professional translation practice, such as business communications, sustainable development, and even video game localization and film subtitling. The exact topics discussed will be determined by student interests and goals during the first weeks of class. We will also discuss the reality of the language marketplace and potential avenues for further study. During the first half of the course, students will develop a personalized project to translate a text in their language pair. The aim will be to work on a document of relevance to their other coursework so as to avoid a merely academic exercise. Over the second half of the course, in addition to the discussion of the topic for that week, the class will be held as a workshop during which students will have the opportunity to present their work and raise questions regarding difficulties they may have encountered. As part of their final project, students will also be asked to maintain a journal documenting their translation process in which they discuss the challenges faced and how they overcame them. The course will be taught in French and English. Letter grade. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits