COMP 209
Translating French: An Introduction to Theory and Practice
Last Offered Spring 2023
Division I
Cross-listed RLFR 218
This course is not offered in the current catalog

What decisions do translators make in order to render texts accurately (and even beautifully) into another language? What makes one translation “better” than another? Should we consider translation as a literary genre in its own right, and should we read translated texts differently from texts in their original language? This advanced course will invite you into the world of translation studies, bringing together aspects of translation theory and technical translation methodologies in order to develop your skills as translators, readers, and speakers of French. We will translate texts from a range of genres mostly from French into English and occasionally from English into French, paying particular attention to the formal and linguistic differences that can pose problems for translators. In addition to completing an independent translation project on your choice of text or media, you will also consider your own priorities as translators, formulating and revising two translation statements over the course of the semester. This course will be taught in French, and the class format will vary between lectures, seminar-style discussions, workshops, and student presentations.