Translation Studies Minor
Translation studies is an interdisciplinary area within the humanities that incorporates the study of the theory of translation with the practice of translation from one language to another. Translation (distinct from interpretation) refers to written work encompassing a full spectrum of genres, from literary translation of prose and poetry, to translation of what is referred to as informational texts such as manuals, legal briefs and other commercial documentation.
Students in the translation studies minor will engage in an examination of translation from multiple perspectives that provides them with an educational path toward the acquisition of general and specific knowledge about the field of translation studies, its history, evolution and theories. Further, they will be trained in the practice of critical thinking about language use and translation; and broaden and deepen their understanding of translation as it relates to power relations, politics, ethics, cultural issues, gender, post-colonialism, etc. Additionally, the minor in translation studies provides students with an opportunity to acquire important skills in their respective target language(s), such as conducting research in preparation for translation, sound writing skills in one’s source language, learning proper analytical processes and appropriate use of current technological resources in the field.
A minor in Translation Studies consists of four courses.
| Two courses in Translation Studies: | ||
| HUMN 260/EAST 205 | Introduction to Translation Studies | 1 |
| HUMN 340 | Seminar in Translation Studies | 1 |
| One course in Linguistics: | ||
| LING 105 | Linguistic Analysis: Sounds and Words | 1 |
| or LING 110 | Linguistic Analysis: Sentences and Dialects | |
| or SPAN 239 | Hispanic Linguistics | |
| One elective chosen from: | ||
| any course in LING | ||
| any 300-level course, beyond that required for a language major, in a language other than English (if not offered in that program, a 200-level or independent study) | ||
| PHIL 227 | Philosophy of Language | 1 |
In addition to course work, a student wishing to declare a Translation Studies minor must also demonstrate high intermediate level language proficiency in the most commonly taught languages (ACTFL Category 1, 2- French, Italian, Spanish, German); or low intermediate for less commonly taught languages (ACTFL Categories 3, 4 - Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese).
Students who are native speakers of a language other than English and who wish to declare a Translation Studies minor are exempt from the language proficiency requirement.
Faculty
Co-coordinators: Elizabeth L. Armstrong, Katherine M. Faull