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Inverse translation (Spanish-English)

Code: 101316 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500249 Translation and Interpreting OB 3

Contact

Name:
Patricia Rodriguez Ines
Email:
patricia.rodriguez@uab.cat

Teachers

Deborah Jane Rolph Rolph
Olga Castro Vazquez

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

At the beginning of the course students should:

  • Have advanced knowledge of their A language grammar in order to translate / interpret from it. 
  • Understand a range of complex text types written in their A language, that pose translation problems from the perspective of linguistic variation. 
  • Understand reasonably complex specialised texts covering a wide range of areas, styles and dialects in their B language. 
  • Write reasonable complex texts reflecting different text types, styles and registers covering a wide range of areas in their B language. 
  • Understand spoken English covering a wide range of areas, distinguishing stylistic and geographical differences. 
  • Express themselves in English using complex structures on general subjects covering a wide range of areas.

 

Language proficienty level required:

English: CEFR C1.3 Level

International exchange students must have a minimum level of B2 in both Spanish and English according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).


Objectives and Contextualisation

The aim of this course is to provide students with the necessary strategies and techniques in their foreign language B (English) to be able to translate non-specialised texts in inverse translation for the professional market.

At the end of the course students should:

  • Have a good understanding of the translation strategies and techniques regarding their foreign language B.
  • Apply this to translating non-specialised texts in inverse translation for the professional market.
  • Document and interpret problems posed by inverse translation, express and formulate opinions and judgements about translation decisions.
  • Use technological and documentation tools.

Competences

  • Applying cultural knowledge in order to translate. 
  • Mastering the main methodological principles of translation. 
  • Producing written texts in a foreign language in order to translate.
  • Solving translation problems of non-specialised texts.
  • Understanding written texts in language A in order to translate.
  • Using documentation resources in order to translate.
  • Using terminological resources 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 graphical, lexical, morphosyntactic, textual, rhetorical and linguistic variation related knowledge.
  3. Applying terminological resources in order to solve translation problems: Incorporating terminological resources in order to solve back translation-related problems of different types of non-specialised written texts, and specialised texts addressing non-specialised audiences.
  4. Applying the documentation resources in order to solve translation problems: Applying the documentation resources in order to solve translation problems.
  5. Appropriately following the different phases for the creation of a translation and carrying out the assigned tasks: Appropriately following the different phases for the creation of a back translation and carrying out the assigned tasks.
  6. Comprehending the communicative purpose and sense of written texts of several fields: Comprehending the communicative purpose and sense of various types of non-specialised written texts and specialised texts addressing non-specialised audiences.
  7. Finding the most appropriate translation solution in each case: Finding the most appropriate translation solution in each case.
  8. Formulating the appropriate informative needs in order to translate: Formulating the appropriate informative needs in order to translate non-specialised texts in standard dialect.
  9. Identifying the existing (digital and analogue) information sources in order to translate: Identifying the existing (digital and analogue) information sources in order to translate into the foreign language different types of non-specialised written texts and specialised texts addressing non-specialised audiences.
  10. Identifying the specific translation problems of non-specialised texts: Identifying the specific back translation problems of different types of non-specialised texts and specialised texts addressed to non-specialised audiences.
  11. Identifying the textual and dynamic nature of the translation equivalence: Identifying the textual and dynamic nature of the translation equivalence.
  12. Implementing strategies in order to understand written texts from different fields: Applying strategies in order to comprehend various types of non-specialised written texts and specialised texts addressing non-specialised audiences.
  13. Incorporating cultural knowledge in order to solve translation problems: Incorporating cultural knowledge in order to solve problems of back translation of different types of non-specialised written texts, and specialised texts addressing non-specialised audiences.
  14. Successfully interrogating the documentation sources in order to translate: Successfully interrogating the documentation sources in order to translate into the foreign language different types of non-specialised written texts and specialised texts addressing non-specialised audiences.
  15. Successfully interrogating the documentation sources in order to translate: Successfully interrogating the information sources in order to translate different kinds of non-specialised written texts with problems of linguistic variation and cultural references, and simple specialised texts from several fields.
  16. Using the appropriate strategies and techniques in order to solve translation problems: Using the appropriate strategies and techniques in order to solve back translation problems of several types of non-specialised texts and specialised texts addressed to a non-specialised audiences.

Content

  • Methodological principles of inverse translation. Inverse translation’s fundamental strategies, techniques and problems
  • Solving contrast-related difficulties: differences in writing, lexical, morphosyntactic and textual conventions
  • Solving translation problems in different types (narrative, descriptive, expository, argumentative, instructive) of non-specialised texts in standard language
  • Solving translation problems stemming from cultural references and linguistic variation (mode, tenor and style)
  • Solving translation problems in specialised texts for non-specialised readers (administrative texts, etc.)
  • Using basic technological and documentation tools for inverse translation

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 15 0.6
Translation exercises 20 0.8
Translation tasks 20 0.8
Type: Supervised      
Preparation of self-assessment 5 0.2
Preparation of translation projects 6 0.24
Preparation of translation tasks 6 0.24
Type: Autonomous      
Documentation searches 8 0.32
Preparation of translation projects 18 0.72
Preparation of translations and translation exercises 42 1.68

Students will develop the specific competences they require to perform inverse translation, i.e. the general competences and skills involved in communicating in a foreign language and those unique to the use of English as a working language in translation, with particular emphasis on those of pragmatic, intercultural and comparative (A-B) relevance.

 

 

The subject combines theory and practical work, with 40% of its workload consisting of face-to-face classroom activities. It covers the bases of text analysis (from the perspectives of linguistics and translation), reception in students’ A language and text production in their B language. Work with texts (standard models and the most recent specimens) is central to the subject’s activities and the acquisition of its knowledge, competences and strategies.

 

A gender equality perspective is applied in this subject.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Coursework translations 20% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
Coursework translations 30% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
Final exam 30% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
Translation project 20% 4 0.16 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Continuous assessment

The information about evaluation, the types of evaluations and their relative weight is for orientation purposes only. The lecturer coordinating this subject will give specific details at the beginning of the course.

Revision

When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for revising evaluated activities. Students must arrange a revision session in agreement with the lecturer.

Re-evalualtion / Resit

  1. Students must fulfil the following requirements to be eligible to resit the final exam / final exams: 1) have completed a minimum of 66.6% of the evaluated tasks for the course, 2) have a global average between 3.5 and 4.9. The student can only resit the final evaluation / final evaluations which they have failed.
  2. In cases where the student has completed between 25.1% and 66.5% of the evaluated tasks for the course, they are not eligible to resit and the global mark obtained during the course will be assigned (whether a passing or failing mark).
  3. In cases where the completed evaluated tasks are 25% or less, the grade of “non-evaluable” will be assigned.
  4. In cases of a final evaluation / final evaluations resulting in a fail mark due to copying or plagiarism, the student is not eligible to resit.
  5. In no case will it be possible to make a final evaluation / final evaluations the equivalent of 100% of the grade.
  6. In the case of a resit the maximum final grade will be 5 (Pass).

IMPORTANT

Reminder: "copying" is considered to be work that reproduces all or a large part of the work from one to another colleague, and "plagiarism" is the act of presenting part or all of an author’s text as one’s own, that is, without citing the sources, whether it is published on paper or in digital form on the Internet. Copying and plagiarism are intellectual theft and therefore contravene university regulations that will be sanctioned with a "zero" mark. In the case of copying between two students, if it is not possible to know who copied who, the sanction will be applied to both students. If there are several irregularities in the evaluation activities of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be zero.

Single assessment

This subject may be assessed under the single assessment system in accordance with the terms established in the academic regulations of the UAB and the assessment criteria of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.

Students must make an online request within the period established by the faculty and send a copy to the lecturer responsible for the subject, for the record.

Single assessment will be carried out in person on one day during week 16 or 17 of the semester. The Academic Management Office will publish the exact date and time on the faculty website.

On the day of the single assessment, teaching staff will ask the student for identification, which should be presented as a valid identification document with a recent photograph (student card, DNI/NIE or passport).

Single assessment activities

Single assessment will include a minimum of three assessment activities of different types, as stated in the assessment guidelines.

Grade revision and retake procedures for the subject are the same as those for continual assessment. See the section above in this Study Guide.


Bibliography

Monolingual dictionaries

The Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary London: Collins. <http://www.collinsdictionary.com/>

The BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co.

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (the 10th edition) Springfield: Merriam Webster Incorporated (on line http://britannica.com/).

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English Oxford: Oxford Clarendon Press.

Diccionario actual de la lengua española Madrid: Biblograf.

British National Corpus <[bnc] British National Corpus (ox.ac.uk)>. English

Corpus del español <http://www.corpusdelespanol.org>. Spanish

Corpus de referencia del español actual <http://corpus.rae.es/creanet.html>. Spanish

International Corpus of English <http://www.ucl.ac.uk/english-usage/ice/index.htm>. English: texts reflecting different geographical variants

 

Bilingual dictionaries

Collins Spanish-English dictionary online: http://dictionary.reverso.net/spanish-english/.

Diccionario Oxford español-inglés inglés español Oxford: Oxford University Press: https://es.oxforddictionaries.com/  

Gran diccionario español-inglés inglés español Edinburgh and Barcelona: Larousse

Diccionario internacional Simon and Schuster español-inglés inglés español New York: Simon and Schuster.

Grammar books

Carter, Ronald et al. (2000) Exploring Grammar in Context. Cambridge/New York: Cambridge University Press.

Hewings, Martin (1999) Advanced Grammar in Use (with answers), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Murphy, Raymond (1995) English Grammar in Use (with answers), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Swan, Michael (1980) Practical English Usage, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum (1980) A University Grammar of English, London: Longman.

http://www.linguee.com/english-spanish/ : (Linguee – corpus-based English-Spanish bilingual dictionary)

 

Manuals i monografies

Baker, Mona (2011)  In Other Words. London and New York: Routledge.

Beeby, Allison (1996) Teaching Translation from Spanish to English, Ottawa: Ottawa University Press.

Brinton, Ethel et al. (1992) Translation Strategies, London: Macmillan.

Butler, Penny (1991) The Economist Style Guide, London: Economist Books Ltd.

Campbell, Stuart (1998) Translating into the Second language (Applied Linguistics and Language Study).  New York: Longman 

Duff, Alan (1981) The Third Language, Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Kelly, Dorothy (ed.) (2000) La Traducción y la interpretación en España hoy: perspectivas profesionales.  Vol.13 Interlingua . Comares.

López Guix, Juan Gabriel and Jacqueline Minett (1997) Manual de traducción – inglés/castellano, Barcelona: Gedisa.

Newmark, Peter (1988) A Textbook of Translation, London: Prentice Hall.

Pokorn, Nike J. (2005) Challenging the Traditional Axioms . Translation into non-mother tongues. Benjamins Translation Library, 62. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.


Software

AntConc; SketchEngine.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 English second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 2 English second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 3 English second semester morning-mixed