COMP 401 - Senior Seminar: The Art of Translation

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

Comparative Literature

Description:

The famous proverb "traduttore, traditore" ("translator, traitor") was coined by angry Italian readers in the Renaissance who felt that French translations of Dante betrayed the accuracy or artistry of the original. However, the long-running debate around the validity of this warning points to a complex system of underlying assumptions and questions about the nature of literary art. Can a translator be faithful to an original text while also appealing to readers in the target language? Is literary translation an act of interpretation, explication, obfuscation, betrayal, or even transmutation? This course will explore the art, theory, and practice of translation from several perspectives. We will examine several key works in the history of translation across a range of eras and cultures, with particular attention to approaches that illuminate the intersection between translation and literary analysis, including short readings by Horace, Jerome, Caxton, Luther, Du Bellay, Dryden, Arnold, Benjamin, Buber, Borges, Jakobson, Nabokov, Steiner, Bassnett, Heaney, and others. At the same time, we will investigate the linguistic, cultural, and literary processes involved in the practice of translation through an ongoing workshop format that will incorporate a series of short exercises and a long-term project.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

One upper-level literature course or permission of instructor

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Seminar

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.