Literary Translation

Course Description

Literary translation is a very specialized type of verbal communication, involving the sharing of the same text across different systems of language, thought, and culture. Because mastering this process requires extensive exposure to diverse examples, iterative practice, and flexible, self-paced analysis, the course “Practice of Literary Translation” is designed in a MOOC format, replacing traditional lectures with interactive instructional materials, annotated examples, and guided practical tasks. This approach ensures active learning and the development of professional competencies in literary translation. The structure supports sociability, and independent learning while maintaining continuous assessment. 

The goal of the course is to develop students' ability to effectively convey the cultural, and emotional nuances of the source text in their target language. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Analyze cultural contexts and literary conventions of both the source and target languages to enhance their translation choices;

• Improve mastery of both languages by exploring vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and stylistic elements relevant to literary texts;  

• Engage critically with the text, interpret meaning and intent, and justify their translation decisions;

• Address ethical issues in translation, including fidelity and cultural representation;

• Give and receive constructive feedback on their translations.

Learning Outcomes (LO)

Upon completion, students will be able to:

LO1. Analyze literary texts in terms of style, genre, and authorial voice

LO2. Apply appropriate translation strategies for prose and poetry

LO3. Reproduce sty;istic and expressive features in the target language

LO4. Address culturl and linguistic challenges in literary translation

LO5. Justify translation decisions using professional terminology

LO5. Produce coherent literary translation portfolio

Course Structures and Workload

Module 1 - ... 1 ECTS (25-30 hours)

Module 2 - ... 1 ECTS (25-30 hours)

Module 3 - ... 1 ECTS (25-30 hours)

Module 4 - ... 1 ECTS (25-30 hours)

Module 5 - ... 1 ECTS (25-30 hours)

          Total: 5 ECTS (125-150 hours)

Teaching and Leaning Methods

• Task-based learning

• Case-based analysis of literary texts

• Independent work

• Peer-review