18421 - Translation from Russian (Second Language) into Italian II

Learning outcomes

Course contents

The course develops in a two-fold perspective, as it aims at specifying the student's linguistic competences and at deepening their theoretical knowledge of the problems linked to translating and translatability. Texts of extremely different typologies will be proposed, of both a semi-specialist (in particular related to the economical, informatics, medical, political and legal fields) and a historical-cultural nature. Further exercise on pieces of literature will be suggested as a means to verify and form the student's translating sensitivity. The assimilation of a specific sectorial lexicon will be supported by individual terminological researches and by editing relative glossaries with the help of back-up materials (reference corpora, parallel texts). The theoretical dimension will be tackled through systematical discussions on the suggested exercises as well as translating and analysing abstracts from the major works translated by the Russian school. 

Readings/Bibliography

S. Bassnet, La traduzione. Teoria e pratica, 1999

R. Jakobson, Izbrannye raboty po lingvistike, 1998

Ju. Lotman, Semiosfera, 2000

P. Torop, Total'nyj perevod, 2005

P. Torop, "Translation as translating as culture", 2002

M. Ulrych (a cura di), Tradurre. Un approccio multidisciplinare, 2001

 

Dictionaries: monolingual and bilingual at student's choice.

Teaching methods

By means of exercises and theoretical discussions on linguistic and stylistic aspects of different discoursivean d textual genres, as well as through the comparison of the lexical and syntactical structures of the same texts in L1 and L2, it is intended to form a responsible approach in the student towards the translation process, paying attention at the same time to the ability of using a dictionary in a critical and functional way (monolingual, bi-lingual and thematic). During the course of lectures exercises of on-the-spot translation, written translation, of translation analysis and commentary will be proposed, as well as exercises to revise them. This work will be supported by collective researches in class and individual ones of documentation at home, as a way to investigate thoroughly and verify the topics dealt with. The translations will be regularly compared and discussed in class with on-going examinations for the purpose of practising and not of evaluating. 

Assessment methods

Exam: written examination of translation from  Russian into Italian (3 hours)

 

Translation of a text typologically similar to the texts dealt with during the lectures, with the help of non-specialised monolingual and bilingual dictionaries and the possibility of using the web.

Teaching tools

At the end of the course a text of all the lectures will be supplied, outlining the complete material covered and discussed during the year (including the texts to practice on and the theoretical and didactic backing material). The lectures will include exercises of investigation and documentation on-line on specialised Russian websites.

Office hours

See the website of Margherita De Michiel