Course title: Cognitive linguistics and translation
Course coordinator: Milena Žic Fuchs, Full Professor
Instructors: Mateusz-Milan Stanojević
ECTS credits: 5
Language: English and Croatian
Semester: 9th (winter)
Status: compulsory for students studying translation as a single major, elective for students
studying translation as a double major program
Form of Instruction: 1 lecture and 2 seminars per week
Prerequisites: students enrolled in the 9th semester, completed course in the Translation Theory
Examination: written
Course contents: This course deals with selected issues in translation theory from the point of
view of cognitive linguistics. The theoretical background is established by comparing and
contrasting the communicative translation theory with the cognitive linguistic theory of
translation. The course focuses on cognitive linguistic notions which are crucial in establishing
translation equivalence (figure-ground, conceptual metaphor, categorization, etc.), exemplifying
the way in which they function in translation, with an emphasis on English and Croatian. The
main semantic and grammatical points are framed within the cultural theory of cognitive
linguistics.
Objectives: The aim of this course is to introduce students to theoretical and practical
translational issues which are related to a cognitive-linguistic view of the language. This will
enable students to recognize potential translation problems, especially with regard to English and
Croatian as source and target languages.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Topic
Introduction, syllabus, definitions
Organization of knowledge: general definitions (concepts, ICMs, domains, cultural
models, scenarios)
Organization of knowledge: identifying and translating typical cultural items/models
Organization of knowledge: identifying and translating less typical cultural
items/models
Review: culture as an organizing element. Metaphorical and metonymical cultural
models (examples)
Metaphor and metonymy theory: the basics. Examples of translations
Metaphor and metonymy theory: hierarchies. Examples of translations.
Complex metaphors. Examples of translations.
Reading about metaphor and translation
Review: culture, organization of knowledge, metaphor and translation.
Meaningful grammar: the symbolicity of grammatical elements. Translating grammar
as translating culture.
Meaningful grammar: construal operations and translation examples.
Meaningful grammar: construal operations and translation examples.
Revision.
Final exam.
Required reading:
Tabakowska, E. 1993. Cognitive Linguistics and Poetics of Translation. Tübingen: Gunter Narr
Verlag
Additional reading:
Croft, W and Cruse, D. A. 2004. Cognitive Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ivir, V. 1981. Formal correspondence vs. translation equivalence revisited. Poetics Today. 2: 5159
Ivir. V. 1987. Functionalism in contrastive analysis and translation studies. Functionalism in
Linguistics, ed. By Dirven, René and Vilém Fried, 471-481. Amsterdam/Philadeplhia: John
Benjamins.
Ivir, Vladimir. 1991-1992. On the non-algorithmic nature of translation theory. Studia Romanica
et Anglica Zagrebiensia. 36-37: 85-91.