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Summary of Week 1

This week we have seen that translation can be defined in various ways. We started with the commonly held view that it is a transfer of meaning from one language …

Cultural translation part 2

When we talk of cultural translation, we often refer to phenomena which go beyond language. To understand cultural translation we must think of what we mean by culture. Below you …

Cultural translation part 1

Translation is often understood as essentially a linguistic activity. However, culture also plays an important part in all kinds of translation, so much so that today we often speak of …

Intralingual and intersemiotic translation

We have seen that descriptions of translation claim that meaning can be ‘carried across’ between languages, however ‘dressed up’ or ‘repackaged’ it is, and we have begun to question the …

Example: fan translation of manga

Another interesting type of interlingual translation is translating comics and graphic novels. It involves a change of language but it also requires the translator to think about the relationship between …

Interlingual translation

Now we are going to adopt a broad definition of translation offered by the Russian-American linguist Roman Jakobson and look at three types of translation. The first one is translation …

What is neutrality and what are its limitations?

Watch the video and note what the translator thinks about neutrality. Should translators remain neutral towards the content and people they work with? The translator’s view on neutrality is in …

Case 6: African Cinema

Film is one of the most powerful art forms in today’s world. New, distinctive voices are emerging in African cinema – but how do the films they produce reflect the …

Definitions and metaphors part 2

There has recently been a lot of interest in words for ‘translation’ and the corresponding perceptions in different languages and cultures, as scholars acknowledged that the study of translation has …

Case 4: Healthcare in multilingual world

Translation can provide an important support for doctors and patients, playing a key role in achieving better medical treatment and therefore improving individual well-being and public health. This is particularly …

Definitions and metaphors part 1: a pillar of salt?

In the video you heard a sample definition of translation from a translation student, two different metaphors for translation from two translation studies professors and examples of myths about translation …

What is translation?

In this first session we will try to dispel some myths about translation, discuss some definitions and key concepts, and invite you to reflect on your experiences as translators (or …

Where in the world?

We’d love to hear more about you, your background and your motivations for taking this course. You can introduce yourself in the comments section. We are also creating an online …