Introduction to Translation Theories
This course introduces some of the major concepts in translation theory, and focuses on their application to translation practice as well as their limitations in the framework of cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary comparisons. It deals with issues of equivalence, formal properties of texts as objects for analysis at linguistic, semantic, discourse, and pragmatic levels, and emphasizes the importance of a functional approach to translation practice and a descriptive and sociological approach to translation research.
Students will be provided with a comprehensive overview of the discipline of translation studies, raising their awareness of both the diversity of possible approaches to translation and the relationships between these approaches. A wide variety of topics such as how translation shapes our lives and transforms the world, what is lost and found in translation, translating literature and cultural cues, fluency and transparency, register and tone, the author-translator-reader triangle, translating humorous verses, puns, wordplays will be examined through a list of selected readings to provide a foundational understanding of the crucial role that translation plays in our lives.
Language of instruction: English
Instructor: Dr. Irem Ayan
Prerequisites: Second year standing or higher.