First-Year Writing Seminar: Translation: History, Theory, and Practice

Semester and Year	FA 2012
Course Number	FIRST-UG389
Section	001
Instructor	Kathryn Vomero Santos
Days	Mon,Wed
Time	4:55 PM - 6:10 PM
Units	4.0
Level	U
Foundation Requirement

Notes/Restrictions

Open to Gallatin first-year students only.

Description

The problems and pleasures of translation have shaped cultural, economic, intellectual, religious, and diplomatic interactions for centuries. Emily Apter has noted that “the 9/11 tragedy, followed on its heels by the Iraq invasion and occupation, has contributed to the focus on translation in film, fiction, academic research, and the media.” In an increasingly globalized and technologized world, we translate across linguistic and cultural boundaries all the time. Looking at translation as a powerful dynamic in our daily interactions helps us to understand the world in which we live. In this seminar, we will explore many aspects of cross-linguistic communication, including language acquisition, textual translation, professional interpreting, and the role of technology in translation. In addition to reading and comparing translations of literary texts, we will engage with theoretical works about translation, statements written by translators about their craft and profession, and recent news articles about the politics of translation and translation in politics. In various essays and projects, students will be encouraged to pursue a range of topics that reflect their interests and curiosities about language and intercultural exchange. Readings may include works by Apter, David Bellos, Edith Grossman, Octavio Paz, and Lawrence Vanuti.

Course Type

First-Year Program: Writing Seminars (FIRST-UG)