Translation Theories and Practice (From English to Chinese)

Instructors: Liu Yangmin

Office: Room 431 Tel: 82201042 Email: yamliu@xauat.edu.cn

Course Description:

Translation Theories and Practice (From English to Chinese) is a required course for English juniors. It aims to introduce translation theories to the students and improve students' translation abilities. Therefore, it is a complicated and difficult course for English majors.

Course Objectives:

This course aims at acquainting students with the basic theories of translation and with some commonly used techniques of translation from English into Chinese. To achieve this purpose, lectures on theories and techniques will be combined with translation practice and class discussion. In-class translation will be graded every other week. Students are also expected to be busily engaged in translation practice after class. Their homework will be kept in files and returned to them at the end of each semester. It is hoped that through large quantities of translation practice, students will improve their translation skills and speed as well as accuracy.

Course Requirements:

1•  Regular attendance. Five absences will result in failure.

2•  Punctual fulfillment of assignments.

3•  Active participation in class discussion.

Required Materials:

Textbook

新编大学英译汉教程 华先发 邵毅 上海外语教育出版社 2004 ， 7.

Reference book

英诗阅读和翻译 石晶 西北工业大学出版社 ,2001.

翻译：思考与拭笔 王佐良 外语教学与研究 ,2000.

中国翻译教学研究 穆雷 上海外语教育出版社 ,,2002.

Assessment:

Homework 20%

Attendance and performance 10%

Final exam: open-book exam 70%

Tentative Course Schedule and Activity Sequence:

Week 1: Introduction: definition, criteria of translation

Week 2: Procedure of translation

Week 3: Translation techniques: annotation and paraphrase

Week 4: Discussion and practice

Week 5: Amplification and omission, shift and adaptation

Week 6: Translation of idioms and proverbs

Week 7: Translation of proper names

Week 8: Translation of figurative speech

Week 9: Translation of sentences: division and combination

Week 10: Specification and abstraction

Week 11: Translation of passive voice

Week 12: Translation of attributive clauses

Week 13: Translation of adverbial clauses

Week 14: Translation of long sentences

Discussion and practice

Week 15: Translation of paragraphs and texts

Dealing with translation of different styles

Week 16: Translation of literary works

Contradictions in translation

Review and final exam

This syllabus is subject to change with official school activities.