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2010/1 Module Catalogue
 Module Code: TRA2038 Module Title: TRANSLATION QUALITY ASSURANCE
Module Provider: Language & Translation Studies Short Name: CTS298
Level: HE2 Module Co-ordinator: ASIMAKOULAS D Dr (Lang & Trans)
Number of credits: 10 Number of ECTS credits: 5
 
Module Availability

Semester 2
Assessment Pattern

Unit(s) of Assessment
Weighting Towards Module Mark( %)
1 presentation: selecting an appropriately complex text and commenting on it from a translation quality angle, discussing potential problems and practical issues in the preferred language pair.
50%
1 text-based task (2000 words): discussing a (given) translated text from the point of view of quality assurance procedures (translation brief, steps to be taken etc.) and editing issues
50%

Qualifying Condition(s)
The average mark for the two assignments (equal weighting) needs to be 40 or higher

Module Overview
This module constitutes an introduction to practical issues of quality in translation. This is combined with relevant theorising on this issue and discussion of the necessary measures that a professional translator, or translation organisation need to take in order to minimise quality problems in every stage of the translation process.
Prerequisites/Co-requisites

Level HE 1 or European University equivalent language competence
Module Aims
This module is designed to offer students an overview of the practical issues pertaining to translation assessment and of attitudes to translation quality both in the field of translation studies and in the industry in general. The module is suitable for students with different linguistic backgrounds who wish to enter the translation/publishing industry.
Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
a knowledge and understanding of the relativity of pronouncements on translation assessment/quality or of the way in which such notions transpire in different contexts, both academic and professional
exposure to the different tasks associated with translation quality assurance in the translation/publishing industry
the ability to make effective use of/develop relevant conceptual tools that will be transferable to other modules in their course
the ability to practice professional revision and problem-solving skills which will be useful for their future employment in the translation world

Module Content

Introduction to the main concepts pertaining to translation analysis, evaluation, revision and quality assessment
Practice in applying these concepts to their respective source text-target text language pairs as well as to target texts in English (also a simulation of monolingual quality assessment and an exercise in isolating features of ‘translationese’)
Exploration of the roles/responsibilities of the commissioning body/organisation, editors, revisers and translators
Simulation of relevant contexts and practice in problem-solving skills
Practical revision and editing exercises

Methods of Teaching/Learning

2 hours per week for 1 semester: 20-22 hours’ class contact over the semester. Interactive language seminars (in English) including student presentations and practical tasks; lesson materials will focus on translating into or from English, so they will be accessible to students of varied language backgrounds.

Selected Texts/Journals
Passages for analysis and relevant case-studies of quality in translation are provided by the lecturer.
Main works:
Austermühl, F. (2001) Electronic Tools for Translation, Manchester: St Jerome Publishing.
House, J. (1997) Translation Quality Assessment. A Model Revisited, Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag.
Maier, C. (ed.) (2000) “Evaluation and Translation” Special Issue of The Translator 6(2).
Mossop, B. (2007) Revising and Editing for Translators. Manchester: St Jerome Publishing.
 
Reference works:
The Chicago Manual of Style [15th edition] (2003). Chicago: Chicago University Press.
European Commission (2008) Translation and Drafting Aids in the European Union Languages. European Commission. [last accessed 13 Jan 2008]
European Commission (2008) English Style Guide. A Handbook for Authors and Translators in the European Commission. Directorate-General for Translation. [last accessed 13 Jan 2008] <http://ec.europa.eu/translation/writing/style_guides/english/style_guide_en.pdf>
Modern Humanities Research Association (2008) MHRH Style Guide for Authors, Editors and Writers of Theses. [last accessed 13 Jan 2008]
<http://www.mhra.org.uk/Publications/Books/StyleGuide/download.shtml>Main works:
 
Gaddis Rose, M. (1997) Translation Criticism, Manchester: St Jerome.
Hatim, B. and I. Mason (1990) Discourse and the Translator, London: Longman.
House, J. (1997) Translation Quality Assessment: A Model Revisited, Tübingen: Niemeyer.
Maier, C. (2000) Evaluation and Translation, Special Issue of The Translator 6.2.
Mossop, B. (2001) Revising and Editing for Translators, Manchester: St Jerome.
Nord, C. (1997) Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist approaches explained, Manchester: St Jerome.
Reiss, K. (1971) Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Übersetzungskritik. Munich: M. Hueber, trans. (2001)
          by E. F. Rhodes as Translation Criticism: Potential and Limitations, Manchester: St Jerome and American Bible Society.
Vinay, J.-P. and Darbelnet, J. (1958) Stylistique comparée du français et de l’anglais. Méthode de traduction,
          Paris: Didier, trans. and ed. by J. C. Sager and M.-J. Hamel (1995) as Comparative Stylistics of French and

         English: A methodology for translation, Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Last Updated

JULY 2009