BBNAN05300 Műfordítási gyakorlatok angolról magyarra 2 /Literary Translation, English
Hungarian 2
Course Leader: Ágnes Somló
Contact: E-mail: somlo.agnes@ btk.ppke.hu Tel: 06 30/ 4661983
Course Description
The course is the continuation of literary translation 1. so students attending it have already
experienced the difficulties one has to face during the procedure itself. Translating literature – besides
the knowledge of both the source and target languages and cultures – requires special skills and talent
from the translator.
This term we will try to work on texts presenting special difficulties from different points of view:
translating special cultural contents of distant literatures and translating folk tales as well as modern
stories or poems of these e.g. African cultures will also give us the opportunity to analyse the task of a
literary translator in these situations; or we choose a special genre e.g. drama and see those problems
that are typical of translating it.
During the first part of the term, you will have to translate set texts of about 250-500 words for each
session and we will discuss the special problems represented by them.
You are also required to do individual translation. During the second part of the term; choose your
source text from the material offered by me or by yourself (consult me if you need suggestions or
advice in your choice).
Translation is creative work, a type of performing art in solitude so you will mostly work alone and
then we all discuss the result of your effort together, which is yet another aim of the course: we give a
chance to translation criticism that is practically non-existent in Hungary. Each session we take one or
two individual translations to discuss and analyse by the help of a student (other than the translator)
who gets a week to study the translation carefully. During sessions we also try to get into a word-byword analysis of the problems presented by these individual endeavours.
(The translator discussed must provide the critic and me a copy of the original and another of the
translation + send them to the list of the group I am going to create so that all members would be able
to study the relevant texts for each session.)
Course Aims in General:
To help students use their talent and special translation skills consciously and adequately in different
translation-situations and see the role of literary translation and their responsibility in enriching their
national culture as well as producing one of the most effective ways of cultural exchange.
Students will get acquainted with different ways of translating different and special literary texts and
with possible ways to look for background information in the case of these distant cultures
Course Requirements and Assessment:
Students are required to do the set class translations for discussion weekly and hand in an individual
translation of about 1000 words. (70%) (I collect set texts after the class and you will have to hand in
your individual translation according to a separate syllabus.)
All students are to do an oral presentation: giving a critical appreciation of another student’s
individual translation. (20%)
The ability of students to discuss various aspects of the literary passages, and to make suggestions and
comment upon translations will also be assessed. (10%)