| Unit name | Translation Practice and Analysis I: Chinese |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODLM0053 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Paul Golf |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
The aim of the unit is to prepare students who already have fluent, native or degree-level knowledge of Chinese and English to become reflective practitioners of translation into and from their second language, and to develop increasingly sophisticated strategies to that end. The emphasis is not on rule-based foreign-language acquisition but on building critical appreciation and evaluation of contextually and functionally appropriate translation of a range of source texts. Students will increase their overall competence as translators both through regular and varied translation assignments and through formal reflection on their own practice and that of others in the group. The intersection between theory and practice is a key part of this unit, providing the basis for specialising in modality-specific fields such as subtitling or games localization, and the application of computer-assisted translation tools offers an additional skill to your professional portfolio while introducing the broader subject of assistive and augmented-intelligence technologies in the language industry.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
As a core unit shared across the MA Chinese-English Translation, MA Chinese-English Audiovisual Translation, and the MSc Interpreting programmes, the disciplinary knowledge and applicable skills gained through this course are essential for laying the foundation for the development of more advanced, specialised language skills. Students from all three programmes will benefit from the shared experience and diversity of working in groups with those from other programmes. Whether preparing for further academic research, technological engagement, professional translation work in any field, or professional interpreting work which often includes a component of written translation, this unit is an essential foundation.
Overview
Students are taught in a mixture of lecture and seminar. Chosen source texts may be either English or Chinese, with translation taking place into the B language. Lectures cover topics such as application and analysis of translation theory, professional translation practice, and translation strategies for different texts/text types. Translation activities take place both individually and in groups, which reflects standard working practice in the industry.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students gain knowledge of translation and professional skills for working in the industry. They work collaboratively and must negotiate with team members on the preferred strategy and translation outcomes for specific texts. They will further their independent research skills in doing necessary preparatory work for different translation tasks.
Learning Outcomes
Teaching on this unit will be delivered via :
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Learning Log, including 3 sections: a reflective report, a SWOT analysis, and an action plan.
The learning log is designed to allow you to reflect critically on the translation process and your own practice as you progress through the unit. The important thing to remember is that it is the quality of critical reflection on your practice that counts. The best way to prepare for this kind of assessment is to keep an informal diary where you reflect on each piece of work you do. You can do so privately, or you can use a blog or any other tool. Other formative exercises including practice translations will be undertaken throughout the semester, and students can expect written feedback and/or feedback through discussion in individual or group tutorials.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Group translation project + 10-minute audiovisual commentary (50%, ILOs 1-4), submitted in week 8. Students will work as part of a team to produce a translation chosen from a list of set texts. The audiovisual commentary should be pre-recorded in presentation software such as Powerpoint or Prezi, and will include a critical analysis of the translation process.
Translation + Commentary, 1,500 words (50%, ILOs 1-4), submitted at the end of the teaching block. This is an annotated translation chosen from a list of set texts, plus an academic commentary. Your translation should be targeted towards the specific brief given for the assessment. The commentary is not to be an essay on translation theory, but rather a critical reflection on the translation process of this specific text.
Annotations should be in the form of footnotes on the target text, be limited to two or three sentences, and are to address specific points of interest in the text or to unpack your chosen methodology. Feedback will be written and will address the quality of the translation and the depth of critical analysis in the commentary.
When assessment does not go to plan
The resubmission of failed group projects is not normally necessary, since if a group project fails, the mark awarded will still contribute toward individual students’ average grades for the unit. In the event a student fails to reach a passing average grade for the unit (50%), they will be permitted to resubmit a translation + commentary assessment based on a different choice of text from the available options and according to the same specifications listed above, with the results of this reassessment counting as their final grade for the whole unit. Please note that ordinarily the grade for reassessments is capped at 50%, but in case of Exceptional Circumstances the examination board may recommend mark penalties are reduced or removed altogether.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODLM0053).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
