COLWRIT 107: Translation in Practice

This course provides an English language setting for an immersive dive into translation studies. This work will culminate in a significant, public facing translation project designed around principles of discovery: we will aim to challenge conventional notions of a translator’s visibility by emphasizing development of paratextual materials, direct community engagement, personal contexts, and work with archived primary sources.

Authors: Chisako Cole and Ben Spanbock, Continuing Lecturers in College Writing Programs

Course Number & Title: COLWRIT 107: Translation in Practice

Grant Type: Berkeley Discover Departmental Innovation Award Program (Discovery Trailblazers)

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0(link is external)

Translation

Syllabus	COLWRIT 107: Translation in Practice
Delivery Format	In-person
High Impact Practices (HIPs) Categories (Review definitions for each category)	Capstone Courses and Projects Collaborative Assignments and Projects Diversity and Global Learning Courses ePortfolios & Multimedia Storytelling Learning Communities Community-Based Learning Undergraduate Research Writing-Intensive Courses
Learning Objectives	Become more practiced translators and translation critics Produce stronger and more purposeful translations while gaining mastery over the terminology and philosophies that guide these practices Apply discovery practices that contextualize their work as translators in social, political, historical, and cultural frameworks
Innovative Teaching Reflection	While courses currently exist on campus that introduce students to the fundamentals of translation theory, this class applies principles of experiential learning by asking students to create their own original works of translation.
Assignments Types	Translation practice into English from source language of student’s choice Translation practice from English into target language of student’s choice Memoir writing on the subject of language Completion of a significant original translation An English language research project to accompany this project Reflection on translation processes
Overview of Grading Criteria	Given the inability of instructors to adequately evaluate texts in a full range of non-English languages, evaluation of non-English language texts will rely on English language reflections on process and application of concepts from common readings, lectures, and class discussions. Students are required to have working proficiency over at least one non-English language.
Impact & Feedback	TBD! This class will be taught for the first time in Spring ‘24.
Applicable Materials	See syllabus document.

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