RMST419

Translation and Romance Languages

Certain themes and challenges recur in translation, whatever the situation and whatever the language pair. This course examines translation in the framework of cross­-cultural and multi­disciplinary comparisons, with an emphasis on Romance languages. We will look at the history of translation, and analyze translators and interpreters as fictional characters in literature and film. We will also explore the practice of translation in a variety of media, including literary texts, news media, Internet, film, radio, TV, blogs, and video games. A wide variety of topics such as how translation and interpreting shape our lives and transform 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 and wordplays will be examined through a list of selected readings to provide a foundational understanding of the crucial role that translators and interpreters play in our lives.

Language of instruction: English

Recommended prerequisites: Second-year standing or higher.