XENX1004 Translation as Cultural Mediation (3 cr)

Course description

Combining a theoretical and practical approach, the course focuses on translation as a linguistic/cognitive activity and a sociocultural practice, while also addressing its broader ideological and ethical dimensions. We discuss basic concepts, along with more complex topics at the interface of translation and culture, through an assortment of real-world cases, examples, and multimodal materials. Special emphasis is given to cultural references, which often pose translation challenges due to their close association with specific languages and cultural contexts. With English serving as the shared medium of communication, the course seeks to create meaningful opportunities for learning through reflection and interaction among students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Participants are encouraged to share their personal views, experiences, and stories, and collaborate in culturally diverse groups and teams, using authentic texts and examples from their own culture(s). The course is open to all students, domestic and international, interested in languages, cultures, and translation, irrespective of degree programme and background knowledge.

Main content

• Translation studies as an independent discipline: approaches, turning points, and latest trends; translation as a profession, translation norms; translation and culture.
• Translation and mediation, their real-world relevance and pedagogical value.
• Translation ability and translation competence, language competence and translation competence; benefits and limitations of machine and AI-assisted translation.
• The complexity of meaning: cultural associations and affective layers of meaning; extra- and intralinguistic cultural references: conceptualisations and transfer strategies.
• Translators’ identity, visibility, agency, and roles; translation, resistance, and activism; translators and interpreters as cultural brokers; collaboration between authors and translators.
• Audiovisual translation, perspectives on dubbing and subtitling.

On completion of the course, the student is expected to…

• develop a more nuanced understanding of translation as an activity and professional practice with linguistic, cultural, social, ethical, and ideological dimensions.
• understand the importance of scrutinising and interpreting multiple layers of meaning when engaging in translation and language mediation.
• adopt a strategic approach to navigate the challenges inherent in translating cultural references.
• develop effective interaction and collaboration skills through actively engaging in group discussions and collaborative tasks in culturally diverse teams.
• be aware of the ways linguistic and cultural identities affect intercultural communication, including translation and language mediation processes. 

Language of teaching: English

Minimum B2-level of English