Translated Cultures: An introduction to Translation Studies
Seminar organised jointly by IPP “Cultural Encounters”
and BIGSAS
Dr. Shaban Mayanja
The envisaged course on Translation Studies is aimed at sensitizing students on the increasing
importance of translation theory and practice today. Areas to be covered will include
Linguistics, African Literature, Cultural Studies and to a certain extent, German Studies.
Emphasis will be placed on the translation turn (the transition from a philological to a
culturally oriented approach in translation) following the culture writing debate, and its
consequences especially for literary translation. The notion of a third text inherent in African
literary works, and the challenges this poses in the translation process will be discussed. Case
studies will involve the German translations of African literary texts. The course is also
designed to equip students with current research methods in translation criticism. The seminar
will thus offer interested students a platform to discuss their views on a wide range of issues
pertaining to Translation Studies. Participants should have a sound knowledge of German and
English.
Time:
05.05.2011 (16h-18h) Translation Theory: A general introduction
06.05.2011 (10h -12h) Translation vs Interpretation
19.05.2011 (16h-18h) Literary Translation and the notion of the “third text”
20.05.2011 (10h-12h) Sense and Meaning in Translation
02.06.2011 (16h-18h) Translation as “Rewriting” and the power of the translator
03.06.2011 (10h-12h) Machine and Computer (Media) Translation
16.06.2011 (16h-18h) Translation and Intercultural Communication
17.06.2011 (10h-18h) Translation methods and research methods in translation criticism
01.07.2011 (16h-18h) “Goethes Konzept der Weltliteratur und seine Relevanz für die
Übersetzung”
Vortrag in deutscher Sprache mit anschließender Diskussion über den
Stellenwert der Übersetzungsgermanistik
15.07.2011
I. Aims:
Revision/ Forum for further discussions/Presentations
- Sensitize students on the importance of translation today
- Equip students with skills specific to research in Translation Studies, familiarize them with research
models
- Enable students to undertake translation tasks optimally on their own
- Address current theoretical and research issues pertaining to translation
- Focus on the role of new media in translation (medial/computer translation)
- Emphasize the benefits of translation by enabling students to translate literary texts into their
mother tongues
- Assist Ph.D. students by way of supervision or otherwise in focusing on a range of translation
related topics for their Ph.D. theses
- Enhance the role of translation in educating the populace, e.g. the importance of theatre
translation in creating awareness about the spread of HIV in Africa
- Contribute to the subject of Translation Studies at the University of Bayreuth with the aim of
making it more interdisciplinary and highlighting its future perspectives
The language of instruction will be English. The course comprises of lectures and course
assignments.
II. Provisional Syllabus
Lectures to be offered (Interdisciplinary)
1. Translation Theory : A general introduction
What is meant by „translation“, “translat” and “Translation Studies”? The concepts of
interlingual, intralingual and intersemiotic translation will be dealt with. The notions of
translatability (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis) and equivalence will also be discussed basing on the
approaches of Eugene Nida, Halliday, Michael Schreiber, Lawrence Venuti, Mary Snell
Hornby, Wolfram Wilss and Peter Newmark among others.
2. Translation vs. Interpretation
The distinction between the two will be the focus of attention. Various forms of
interpretation, e.g. simultaneous, consecutive and conference interpretation shall be briefly
elaborated.
3. Literary Translation and the notion of the "third text":
Theories of literary translation shall be presented with particular emphasis on the findings of
Gideon S. Toury and Mary Snell Hornby. The specific challenges posed by literary translation
will be a major point of focus. Hans Vermeer and Holz Mantärri´s skopos theory will also be
discussed. The relevance of the theories in regard to the translation of African literature will
be analyzed. More importantly, the existence of an „unwritten“ African text (third text)
underlying the European language text and its consequences for the translation process (the
so called second hand translation) shall also be discussed. In the same vein, the important
role played by orature in African literature and the problems encountered in rendering oral
texts into written target languages shall also be highlighted. (Owomoyela, Oyekan)
4. Sense and Meaning in Translation:
The controversy surrounding sense and meaning in translation basing on the Halliday´s study
will be discussed. As a case study, the translation of selected African proverbs by Wilhelm
Möhlig who opts for a “sense coherent translation” approach will be presented.
5. Translation as „Rewriting“and the power of the translator
Emphasis will be placed on the power of a translated text or translator for that matter in
altering or, at times deliberately manipulating a text in order to achieve a specific goal in the
target audience. (Andre Lefevre, Michel Foucalt)
6. Machine and Computer Translation:
The approach advocated for by the Leipziger School (Katharina Reiß, Gert Jäger Otto Kade)
will be discussed. The benefits of and challenges posed by media translation will be a major
point of focus.
7. Translation and Intercultural Communication : A new paradigm in Translation Studies?
(Doris Bachmann-Medick –Göttinger Sonderforschungsbereich- Susann Bassnett Mc Guire,
Andre Lefevre` u.a.) The so called translation turn (the transition from a philological
translation to a more dynamic culturally oriented form of translation) and the culture writing
debate will be the two main issues.
8. Translation Methods: A brief presentation of current approaches employed in the translation
process and in interpretation. Emphasis will be placed on of reflecting cultural difference in
Translation (Lawrence Venutis Resistance Strategy, Postcolonial texts in translation)
9. Research Methods Specific to Translation Criticism: Current approaches of translation
criticism will be discussed.
10. Philological vs. "Cultural"-Translation": The role of linguistics, culture and political ideology
in translation will be discussed.
Preliminary reading list:
Gentzler, Edwin: Contemporary Translation Theories, Clevedon, Multilingual Matters 2001
Bassnett, Mc Guire Susan: Translation Studies, London 2002
Snell-Hornby, Mary: Translation Studies: An Intergrated Approach 1994
Snell-Hornby, Mary: Handbuch Translation, Tübingen 1998
Baker, Mona: In Other Words - A Course Book on Translation, London 1992
Newmark, Peter: Approaches To Translation, Exeter 1981
Muranga, Manuel: Thesen für eine Übersetzertätigkeit für einen afrikanischen Germanisten, Info
DaF, 19, 1992
Venuti, Lawrence: Rethinking Translation, London 1992
Campbell, Stuart: Translation into the second Language, London 1998
Mayanja, Shaban: Untersuchung zum Problem der Übersetzung afrikanischer Literatur ins Deutsche,
Hannover 1999
Vemeer, Hans J.: “Didactics of translation”. Mona Baker (ed.). Encyclopedia of Translation Studie,
London 1998
Albrecht, Jörn: Literarische Übersetzung: Geschichte-Theorie-kulturelle Wirkung Darmstadt 1998
Owomoyela, Oyekan: A History of 20th Century African Literature
Koller, Werner: Einführung in die Übersetzungswissenschaft, Heidelberg 1993
Halliday, M.A.K: Learning to Mean: Explorations in the Development of Language.