Logo UAB
2020/2021

Foreign language B for translators and interpreters 2 (English)

Code: 101477 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500249 Translation and Interpreting FB 1 2
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Graham Perry
Email:
Graham.Perry@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)
Some groups entirely in English:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Geoffrey Vito Belligoi
Laura Trainor
Jonathan Walker
Graham Perry
Sarah Julia West
Maeve Catherine Howley
Roland Keith Pearson

Prerequisites

Language proficiency required: English language level B2.2 CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference).

 When starting the course students should be able to:

  • Understand different types of written texts about general topics in familiar subject areas. (CEFR-FTI B2.1)
  • Write fairly complex texts about personal and general topics in familiar subject areas. (CEFR-FTI B1.2).
  • Understand different types of spoken English about general topics in familiar subject areas. (CEFR-FTI B2.1)

Express themselves in spoken English on personal and general topics in familiar subject areas using relatively complex constructions. (CEFR-FTI B1.2)

Objectives and Contextualisation

The aim of this course is to consolidate the students’ Foreign Language B (English) communicative competencies, develop their reading comprehension skills needed for direct translation of different types of non-specialised texts as well the competencies needed to begin inverse translation.

 At the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Understand different types of written texts about general topics which cover a wide range of subject areas, styles and registers. (CEFR-FTI B2.3)
  • Write different types of text about general topics in familiar subject areas. (CEFR-FTI B2.1)
  • Understand different types of spoken English about general topics in subject areas, reflecting the most commonly used styles or registers. (CEFR-FTI B2.3)

Express themselves in different types of spoken English on general topics in familiar subject areas. (CEFR-FTI B2.1)

Competences

  • Producing oral texts in a foreign language in order to interpret.
  • Producing written texts in a foreign language in order to translate.
  • Understanding oral texts in a foreign language in order to interpret.
  • Understanding written texts in a foreign language in order to translate.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Applying lexical, morphosyntactic, textual, rhetorical and linguistic variation related knowledge: Applying graphic, lexical, morphosyntactic, textual and linguistic variation related knowledge.
  2. Applying lexical, morphosyntactic, textual, rhetorical and linguistic variation related knowledge: Applying phonological, lexical, morphosyntactic and textual related knowledge.
  3. Comprehending the communicative purpose and sense of verbal texts of several fields: Comprehending a diverse typology of verbal texts of general topics of well-known areas.
  4. Comprehending the communicative purpose and sense of written texts of several fields: Comprehending the communicative purpose and sense of a diverse typology of written texts about general topics from a wide variety of fields and registers.
  5. Implementing strategies in order to produce verbal texts from different fields and with specific communicative purposes: Implementing strategies in order to produce verbal texts of a certain complexity about personal and general topics of well-known areas.
  6. Implementing strategies in order to produce written texts of different fields and with specific communicative purposes: Implementing strategies in order to produce a diverse typology of written texts of a certain complexity about general topics of well-known areas.
  7. Implementing strategies in order to understand verbal texts from different fields: Implementing strategies in order to comprehend verbal texts about personal and general topics of well-known areas.
  8. Implementing strategies in order to understand written texts from different fields: Implementing strategies in order to comprehend a diverse typology of written texts of a certain complexity about general topics from a wide variety of fields and registers.
  9. Producing verbal texts from different fields and with specific communicative purposes: Producing verbal texts with specific communicative purposes, following standard models of discourse.
  10. Producing verbal texts that are appropriate to their context and possess linguistic correctness: Producing verbal texts of a certain complexity about personal and general topics of well-known areas.
  11. Producing written texts from different fields and with specific communicative purposes: Producing simple academic texts, following standard models of discourse.
  12. Producing written texts that are appropriate to their context and possess linguistic correctness: Producing a diverse typology of written texts about general topics of well-known areas with specific communicative purposes and following standard modes of discourse.
  13. Solving interferences between the working languages: Solving interferences from the language combination with a certain degree of control.

Content

1. Translation-oriented written comprehension:

1.1. Reading strategies for understanding texts of diverse typology on general topics of a wide range of subjects and a range of scopes and registers

1.2. Identification of ideology in texts

1.3. Identification of intertextuality in texts

1.4. Identification of textual genre

 2.   Written production oriented to translation

2.1. Synthesis of texts of diverse typology on general subjects of a wide range of scopes and registers

2.2. Narrative genres

2.3. Genres of opinion

2.4. Information genres

2.5. Reviews

2.6. Revision and correction

 

 3.  Oral comprehension and expression

3.1. Comprehension of oral texts of diverse typology on general subjects of different types and more common registers.

3.2. Production of oral texts of diverse typology on general subjects of different types areas and more common registers.

 

  4.  Knowledge of contrastive rhetoric

4.1. Contrasting different types of grammar

4.2. Lexical knowledge and false friends

4.3. Contrasting genres

Methodology

Performing Tasks

    Carrying out projects

    Troubleshooting

    Solving exercises

 

Teaching Methodology

English foreign language skills will be broadened and deepened and the specific skills required for translation will be developed: on the one hand, global skills and foreign language communication skills, and on the other, special language skills in English as the working language for translation, with special emphasis on those that are of pragmatic, intercultural and contrasting (BA) relevance for translation.

The character of the subject is theoretical - practical. It will deal with the basics of textual analysis (linguistic and translatological), reception and textual production in English. All the knowledge, skills, strategies and activities of the subject will be developed through and by working with and on texts (standard models and current examples).

 

Training activities

    Accomplishment of tasks to develop strategies and methods of reading and textual comprehension.

    Accomplishment of tasks to develop strategies and methods of speech analysis for translation.

    Dealing with frequent linguistic and intercultural (B-A) problems manifested in current texts, followed by tasks or grammar exercises and/or performative or corresponding detection tasks.

    Systematization of textual synthesis and the bases of linguistic mediation through periphrasis, reformulation or explanation of textual contents.

    The improvement of textual production in English (production of concrete copies following text models) and the revision of defective texts.

    Carrying out oral and written communicative tasks based on the preparation of specific genres of the university career (e.g. abstract, summary, work script, oral presentation, textual analysis, review, linguistic autobiography) on topics of a cultural (inter- ), linguistic or translatological nature in B language.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Oral expression and listening activities 6 0.24 2
Reading comprehension activities 13 0.52 1
Summary activities 10 0.4 2, 1
Writing Exercises 13 0.52 1
Type: Supervised      
Supervised and reviewed reading comprehension activities 7.5 0.3 2, 1
Type: Autonomous      
Listening and speaking activities 10 0.4 2
Reading comprehehsion 33 1.32 1
Summary activities 20.5 0.82 1
Writing exercises 23 0.92 2, 1

Assessment

Assessment is continuous. Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing some tasks. Task deadlines will be indicated in the course schedule on the first day of class. The above information on assessment, assessment activities and their weighting is merely a guide. The subject's lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.

Those tests linked to a criterion level of the CEFR-FTI are excluded from the resit - due to their characteristic of progressive semester acquisition of communicative competence.

 

Resit

At the time of giving the final grade prior to the report, the faculty will communicate in writing a date and time of resit. The review of the different evaluation activities will be agreed between the teaching staff and the students.

Resit is available to students who have presented themselves to activities the weight of which equals 66.6% (two-thirds) or more of the final grade and who have obtained a weighted grade of 3.5 or more.

At the time of giving the final grade prior to the course report, the teachers will communicate in writing the resit procedure. The teaching staff may propose a recovery activity for each activity suspended or not presented or may group different activities.

Consideration of " non-assessable ".

A "non-assessable" will be assigned when the assessment evidence provided by the student equals no more than one-fourth of the total grade for the subject.

Irregularities in the evaluation activities will be 0. In case of irregularities in different evaluation activities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.

Evaluation activities in which irregularities have occurred (such as plagiarism, copying, impersonation) are excluded from recovery.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Continuous assessment: Oral and Listening exercises 10 3 0.12 2
Continuous Assessment: Reading Comprehension 12 3 0.12 1
Continuous Assessment: Summary 6 1.5 0.06 1
Continuous Assessment: Writing 12 3 0.12 1
Final Exam: Reading Comprehension 20 1 0.04 1, 8, 4
Final Exam: Language Analysis 5 0.5 0.02 2, 1, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 12, 11, 10, 9, 13
Final Exam: Summary 15 1 0.04 1
Final Exam: Writing 20 1 0.04 1

Bibliography

The Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of English (2006) London: Cengage ELT.

The Collins Cobuild English Usage Dictionary (2004) London: Collins.

The BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English (1997) Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing.

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2004) Springfield: Merriam Webster.

A good collocations dictionary http://www.ozdic.com/