A General Introduction to Translation Studies

Time: 2016-02-28 　　Visits: 240

I.Course Introduction (including teaching goals and requirements)

1. Objectives: Help students to acquire a deep understanding of translation studies, its relation with other sub-branches of linguistics, and even the relation between this discipline and other disciplines of humanities and social sciences, keep abreast of the academic trend home and abroad, master the basic research methods, and ultimately develop their more macroscopic and dialectical thinking and general capacity of approaching problems in a comprehensive way.

2. Contents: Discussions on the relevant issues in translation studies, and in the more general field of language, or even frequently above and beyond language, for the interpretation of meaning in general, and even the understanding of more general issues relating to human knowledge, culture and philosophy, covering academic trend home and abroad and various issues of modern linguistics, applied linguistics and translation studies, and theses requirements and methodology .

3. Organization: 1) Lectures offered by the teacher. 2) Students’ spontaneous questions followed by the teacher’s suggested answers, and discussions (Q&A). 3) Students’ Prepared Speech followed by Discussion (S&D).4) Lectures take up about 70%, and Q&A and S&D 30% of the class.

4. Requirements: 1) Students prepared the related issues either chosen by themselves or assigned by the teacher, and present their understanding in class. 2) Students read extensively for raising questions or contributing their answers to the questions to be discussed in class. 3) Students’ contributions (in terms of either questions or answers)are not restricted within any field of linguistics, applied linguistics, or translation studies, which on the contrary should integrate those sub-branches, and may well go frequently above and beyond language, so students can develop their more macroscopic and dialectical thinking and general capacity of approaching problems in a comprehensive way.

II.Teaching Syllabus (including the content of chapters and sections. A sheet can be attached):

The content of this course involves discussions on the relevant issues in translation studies, and in the more general field of language, or even frequently above and beyond language, for the interpretation of meaning in general, and even the understanding of more general issues relating to human knowledge, culture and philosophy, covering academic trend home and abroad and various issues of modern linguistics, applied linguistics and translation studies, and theses requirements and methodology.

The above content covers 11 major topics as follows, which are integrated and intertwined through 8 to 10 issues in classroom discussions.

Topic 1. Criticism on modern Western translation theories

Topic 2. A historic survey of western translation studies

Topic 3. The sociological view of translation

Topic 4. The literary study of translation

Topic 5. The philosophical view of translation

Topic 6. The hermeneutic view of translation

Topic 7. Translation as communication and dialogue

Topic 8. The aesthetic perspective of translation studies

Topic 9. The cultural view of translation studies

Topic 10. Traditional Chinese translation theories

Topic 11. Translation research methodology

III.Teaching Schedule:

Week	Course Content	Teaching Method
1	Course orientation & introduction	Lecture & Discussion
2	Critical review of modern Western translation theories(1)	Lecture & Discussion
3	Critical review of modern Western translation theories(2)	Lecture & Discussion
4	The literary study of translation(1)	Lecture & Discussion
5	The literary study of translation(2)	Lecture & Discussion
6	The sociological view of translation	Lecture & Discussion
7	Cultural interpretation & horizontal fusion(1)	Lecture & Discussion
8	Cultural interpretation & horizontal fusion(2)	Lecture & Discussion
9	A historic survey of western translation studies	Lecture & Discussion
10	Chinese translation theories (1):Buddhism translation from the Han Dynasty	Lecture & Discussion
11	Chinese translation theories (2):Cultural interaction since the Ming Dynasty	Lecture & Discussion
12	Chinese translation theories (3):Modern transformation of culture	Lecture & Discussion
13	Chinese translation theories (4):The fourth peak	Lecture & Discussion
14	Translation research methodology	Lecture & Discussion
15	Translation of culturally-loaded words as in modern transformation of culture	Lecture & Discussion
16	A dialectic view of under-translation and over-translation	Lecture & Discussion
17	Theoretic sources of translation studies and its relation with other disciplines	Lecture & Discussion
18	Summary & conclusion	Lecture & Discussion

Note:

1.Above one, two, and three items are used as teaching Syllabus in Chinese and announced on the Chinese website of Graduate School. The four and five items are preserved in Graduate School.

2. Course terms: Spring, Autumn , and Spring-Autumn term.

3. The teaching languages for courses: Chinese, English or Chinese-English.

4.Applicable range of discipline: public, first-class discipline, second-class discipline, and third-class discipline.

5. Practice includes: experiment, investigation, research report, etc.

6. Teaching methods: lecture, seminar, practice, etc.

7. Examination for degree courses must be in paper.

8. Teaching material websites are those which have already been announced.

9. Brief introduction of chief lecturer should include: personal information (date of birth, gender, degree achieved, professional title), research direction, teaching and research achievements. (within 100-500 words)