Translation Practice and Theory

Translation Practice and Theory: An Introduction to Translation from Hebrew to English Spring 2015

Ari Ofengenden [email protected] 781-736-2979 Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex, 326

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Translation is a complex human activity involving transfer of meaning between languages, cultures and forms of expression. Translation practices form the very basis of our understanding, intervention and leadership in a global world. They are also fundamental for intercultural understanding and the extension of thought and creativity which comes from development of both one’s own language and foreign language skills. Translation is also a powerful metaphor for communication itself for the transfer, decoding and adopting messages for different audiences. This course will mainly focus on the practice and theory of Hebrew to English translation. Students will translate and edit authentic materials including (literary texts, television series, film, internet sites, speeches and newspapers). We will also make use of short texts on the theory and practice of translation in order to reflect on our own translation practices.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

Daniel Weissbort, Astradur Eysteinsson, Translation: Theory and Practice: A Historical Reader, Oxford University Press, 2006.

John Biguenet, Rainer Schulte, Theories of Translation: An Anthology of Essays from Dryden to Derrida, University Of Chicago Press, 1992.

Rainer Schulte and John Biguenet, The Craft of Translation, University of Chicago Press, 1989.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS 2

Assignments and Grading Policy Your final grade will be determined as follows: Feedback on others work and class participation through translation exercise and discussion 30% First translation project 15% Second translation project 15% Final Translation project 30%

Attendance, Reading and Participation As can be seen by the grade distribution above, I place great stress on coming prepared to class, having done the relevant tasks (reading and translation), responding to the translations of others on Latte and active participation, all of which will be noted. If anything prevents you from coming or doing the assignments, please see me about it before hand.

Latte Assignments and Informational Postings This course will have a Latte web site. An updated syllabus and many of the readings and weekly translating materials will be posted there. You will often have to prepare a translation and post and comment on the translation of others. Translation Assignments You will write choose two open ended translation tasks from various media. The first will around 750 words translation the final around 1250 words (students who would like to translate poetry should see me). Assignments are to be submitted on the 16 th of February, 9 th of March, and 27 th of April (Until 12:00am). Late papers submitted without prior permission will be reduced by one grade-step for each day of lateness. All writing should be sent to my email address ([email protected]) and you should expect a confirmation that I have received the paper. If you have not received such confirmation, contact me.

Plagiarism and the Honor Code This course operates under the code of Academic integrity, whose requirements you are required to know and follow. The course is designed to teach you how to translate and think about. Taking someone else translation is both is an ethical violation as well as a waste of educational resources. The minimal penalty for such offences is to fail the 3 assignment often it is to fail the course. I will discuss the use and misuse of machine translation in class.

Disabilities Please see me at the beginning of the course if you have any disabilities that require special academic accommodation. Please contact the Disability Support Service office

Mobile phones Please, set your phone to vibration mode. If you have to answer a phone call, do it outside the classroom. Text messaging is absolutely prohibited in this course.

Student athletes Letters with away-games dates should be handed in to me within the first week of classes. These letters must be signed by your coach or academic advisor.

Course Schedule

Week 1

Hebrew Text The Tower of Babel.

Chamishia Kamerit America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervGMLEEj2I

Week 2 (Contemporary Writing)

Habiloyim Sosh Almulzliu http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=2353&wrkid=18445 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knJuV50uMks

Habiloyim Ballad for Single Parent http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=2353&wrkid=9285 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR1SqWT7aLU

Etgar Keret Nalyon

Adam Kuman Sound of Many Angry Feet Angrily Stomping the Face of the Earth 4

Week 3 (The Newspaper)

Haaretz Newspaper

Week 4 Popular Culture Television I

חמישיה הקאמרית https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwJ5PE30RS8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAE_udRrfoM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ELwjRhZ3uY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervGMLEEj2I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Fo3JBshOA

Week 5 Popular Culture Television II בתולות https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZI6Ynjgsa8

Week 4 (High or late Modernism)

Yacov Shabtai Bin Shmashot

Yacov Shabtai

Chanoch Levin The Gummy Traders

http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=416&wrkid=13968 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8qfRZ5w2qY

בצער לא רב היגון לא קודר http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=416&wrkid=736 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32iDZEP_fmc

אני בדרכי למוסד http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=416&wrkid=12188

שחמט http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=416&wrkid=17629 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E8Z9x-qlUI

Yona Wallach Poems

Week 5 (Popular Israeliness the 70’s)

אהוד מנור ברוש http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=41&wrkid=742 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wccsj712fgs

אגדה יפאנית http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=41&wrkid=742 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoXqeuXDSp0

אברהם חלפי עטור מצחך http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=166&wrkid=2515 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcayUsa9yvw

Week 6 (Classic Modernism I )

Agnon The First Kiss

David Vogel Married Life

אלכסנדר פן וידוי http://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=138&wrkid=9316 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IigX21DCiuo

Abraham Shlonsky Avnai Bohu

Week 7 _ Workshop on first translation project 6

Week 8 (Classic Modernism II)

Leah Goldberg Poems

Uri Zvi Greenberg Poems

Brenner Selected stories

Rachel

Week 9 (Hebrew Renaissance)

Bialik Selected Poems

Tescharnichovsky Selected Poems

Week 10 Workshop second translation project

Week 12 (Hebrew Enlightenment)

Judah Leib Gordon The Point on Top of the Yod

Abraham Mapu Ahabat Tziyyon

Moses Hayyim Luzzatto La-Yesharim Tehillah

Week 13 (Medieval and Rabbinic Hebrew Literature)

Yehuda Halevi Selected Poems

Solomon ibn Gabirol Selected Poems

Aggadah Literature

Week 14 Tanakh and Final Translation Project 7

Week 15 (Workshop of Final translation Project