TranslationMA

Characteristics of Specialised Texts

This module is designed to introduce students to the main features of specialised texts. This involves the analysis of the characteristics of specialised language in general, and as applied to the six specialised fields such as Advertising, Business, IT, Medicine, Law and Politics.

You will analyse semi specialised texts and carry out research of the potential resources out there to help you started with all that text analysis has to offer. Thus, you will further develop your texts analysis skills and knowledge of the fields, including their linguistic, technical and sociocultural features.

If there are no sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Placement for Employability Skills

This is a designate module, offered to FT students and 2nd-year PT students.

An innovative module combining work-based learning and research in the professional environment. You will be introduced to real-life translation situations and undertake a short period of professional activity either: work placement; not-for-profit sector volunteering as a translator or a professional/employer led project.

The module aims to enable you to express and understand your current skills and abilities in relation to your career values and goals. You will also apply the knowledge gained through the course programme to inclusive and diverse work-related environments. In addition, you will have the opportunity to recognise your personal and professional development through your work-based practice and how to apply the experience and knowledge gained to your future goals.

Furthermore, there will be opportunities for research the translator’s professional environment and increase your network and establish links with potential employers. There will also be opportunities for experiential learning.
The module is designed to enhance students’ personal and professional development and assist in preparing students for their future careers.

If there are no sufficient student numbers o makea module viable , the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative

The Translator and the Specialised Text

You will translate specialised texts in different domains of low level of specialisation in a variety of fields, registers and styles, with emphasis on producing professional translations using dedicated professional software. The topics will cover, for example, Advertising, Business, Law, Medicine, IT and Politics.

You will be trained to translate specialised material into your native language by identiftying and analysing manisfestations of culture and discern culural complexitites; as well as cultural norms and describe how these affect your translation choices.

If there are no sufficient student numbers o makea module viable , the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

The Translator and the Translation Process

The module aims to introduce you to the main translation concepts and foster your awareness and understanding of the translation process in the light of relevant theoretical work. It also aims to cultivate your ability to examine the translational act and use the knowledge acquired to reflect on the decision and choices made by the translator at different stages of the translation process. You will explore translation strategies and will develop an understanding of the challenges encountered in translation and of the relevant procedures used to solve them.

You will also acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge and reflective and analytical skills to discuss theoretical issues and explain their relationship to practice using appropriate translational meta- language.
This module will also develop your ability to consider translation a multicultural and multilingual space where diversity is celebrated, and mediation is sought to enable communication and to bridge cultural and linguistic gaps.

If there are no sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Translation Tools and the Translator

This module focuses on both translation environment tools (TEnTs) that translators are likely to use in a professional environment and terminology mining which translators are likely to perform as part of their work. You will learn how to use Internet resources effectively, including their evaluation, and will employ proprietary software for professional translation and terminology management, both as standalone tools and as integrated in TEnTs. You will also be equipped with the necessary transferability skills to confidently adapt to a variety of translation tools, both desktop-based and in the cloud, the choice of which will be entirely your own based on resource availability and IT-literacy.
Semester: Autumn for full-time cohort and PG Cert students; Spring year 1 for Part-time cohort.

If there are no sufficient student numbers o makea module viable , the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Independent Research Project

This module involves critical reflection, research and academic writing, linking translation practice to theoretical notions drawn from the field of translation studies and related areas. The module also offers you the opportunity to develop your knowledge, understanding and awareness of current theoretical and methodological issues in the discipline.
You will produce an 8,000 – 10,000-word research project, which should communicate and evaluate the investigations undertaken in a clear, creative, and scholarly manner. The module runs with co-requisite TR7P78 (Independent Translation Project). This module aims to enable you to:

• formulate a relevant research proposal and complete a research project which includes an evaluative review of existing literature, and to examine critically key methodological issues in the field, through specific perspectives and/or interdisciplinary work in theory

• develop the skills necessary to plan and execute relevant research which deals with complex issues both systematically and creatively

• develop your ability to communicate your research ideas and outcomes clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences in an appropriate written register and form

• develop self-confidence and the ability to work and learn independently and transferable skills which are required for continuing professional development.

If there are no sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Independent Translation Project

This module enables students to further develop their theoretical knowledge of translation and extend their understanding of the theoretical and practical issues in the discipline. You will work on a longer translation and an extended pre- translation and post translation analysis.

The translation performed in this module is of a high level of specialisation, comparable to that of translated work carried out by professional translators. You will receive training in the translation of longer and more specialised texts and the chance to put the acquired knowledge and skills and the feedback received so far on your translations into practice. The module will offer you the opportunity to apply translation principles, strategies, and procedures as well as appropriate researching and documentation techniques and translation tools previously learnt to produce a competent translation according to professional standards and solve the translation and terminological challenges encountered.

You will also acquire an understanding of the translation process that underlines the translation of longer texts and will be offered an opportunity to use the analytical skills and knowledge of translation theory previously gained to reflect critically, through the research and analysis of the translation process, on translation issues, strategies followed in the translation and various changes that result from the transfer process.
Finally, you will acquire the skills to look critically at your translations, reflect on the transfer process and produce a competent commentary on the translation problems encountered and the solutions used to solve them. You will also learn to produce an invoice for your translation work, such as should be produced in a professional context.

Institute of Linguists Professional Accreditation:
Student work demonstrating high standards in both the translation and the reflective analysis component will be submitted to the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIoL) for accreditation and can gain exemption from paper II or III of the Chartered Institute of Linguists’ Diploma in Translation.

If there are no sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Subtitling

The module focuses on one particular audiovisual translation (AVT) mode: Subtitling.
You will be introduced to the main translation-related issues peculiar to subtitling, including methods of dealing with linguistic and non-linguistic elements within the audio-visual text, and taught the basic, transferable practical skills necessary to develop further experience in a professional subtitling environment. Theoretical and example-based instructions in the basic principles of the various issues will be coupled with practical and technically-oriented exercises relating to these principles.

The module aims to enable you to:

1. Appraise the challenges faced by the translators working with audiovisual material, namely the complex semiotic mix of linguistic and non-linguistic elements;
2. Develop practical techniques and translation strategies for dealing with these issues as appropriate to subtitled material;
3. Identify the pros and limitations of subtitling within the context of the target audience culture;
4. Appreciate the social dimension of audiovisual texts, i.e. the sociocultural context in which audiovisual programmes are produced, the extent to which these convey values, clichès and biases and how much these influence the target audiences’ perception of the world, as well as the translator’s decisions.

If there are no sufficient student numbers to make a module viable , the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative

Translating for International Organisations

This is an option module, which focuses on translating texts induced in institutional contexts. The module looks at specificity of texts authored by the institutions in question and provides students with an opportunity to utilise institutional resources (available online) to create target texts complying with institutional standards.
The module offers students another pathway into specialisation and therefore enhances their employability opportunities (working as a freelance or in-house translator with the UN or EU). By choosing this option module you will:

1. develop a comprehensive understanding of practical and theoretical aspects of translation, culture and texts from various fields pertaining to international organisations

2. enhance the skills and tools acquired in previous modules and necessary to analyse texts related to international organisations and apply the appropriate translation strategies for effective translation

3. learn to critically examine key issues in the translation of institutional texts and develop further your analytical ability to assess and reflect on translations, identify problems arising out of them and use suitable translation solutions

4. develop the ability to produce a translation following professional standards, which will allow you to compete as a translator /communicator in the context of international organisations.

If there are no sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.

Website and Software Localisation

This is an optional module, offered to FT students, PG Cert students and 2nd-year PT students.

The module will have a dual aim: to provide you with an awareness of translational issues peculiar to localisation, and to give you the basic practical skills necessary to develop further experience in a professional localisation environment. You will gain an insight into the cultural, linguistic and technical nuances that distinguish products across countries and determine their success, taking into account local requirements and market needs; you will also familiarise yourself with the workings of the localisation industry, including an understanding of the individual stages involved in the overall localisation process. You will receive advanced practical training in the use of translation environment tools (TEnTs) and other programs used by localisation professionals, both desktop-based and in the cloud.

If there are no sufficient student numbers o makea module viable , the school reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative