LITERARY TRANSLATION (ARABIC)

The course, which constitutes a related educational activity of the master's degree program of LICAAM (Near and Middle East), aims to introduce learners to translation and cultural translation studies with a specific focus on the Arabic context, providing them with the theoretical, methodological and practical tools of translation processes from/into Arabic in the literary and publishing field in the different genres covered.

It's structured in two parts. The first part covers historical-theoretical issues, also including an in-depth study of socio-cultural, religious and ethical aspects. The second part is a laboratory one, based on translation practice and the analysis of previous reference models. The course aspires to endow and equip learners with basic tools and techniques to transfer the theoretical notions and textual information acquired into practice, with the aim of professionalizing the learners' translation approach and enabling them to deal with the problems posed by the translation of texts belonging to different literary and artistic fields: prose, poetry, drama and the audiovisual world.

As for the expected learning outcomes,
on the level of knowledge and understanding, the students will be able to:
- learn the main translation theories and techniques as well as the problems and cultural challenges related to the translation - from Arabic into Italian - of editorial and literary texts, belonging to different genres, such as prose, poetry, drama and the audiovisual field.
- to learn the main tools of the translator's task (from dictionaries to digital tools to the Internet), the methodologies used as well as to develop the skills required in this professional field.

On the level of ability to apply knowledge and understanding, the students will be able to:
- apply the learned theoretical principles and knowledge in translation practice
- adopt translation techniques and strategies according to the relevant text and context, as well as use the appropriate tools to deal with the translation problems they faced.

On the level of judgment, the students will be able to:
- analyze the literary text and its language, contextualizing and comparing it with other models
- adopt the most appropriate translation techniques and strategies for the required needs
- identify translation problems and the most appropriate techniques to use for solving them

- On the level of communicative skills, the students will be able to:
- present and critically discuss their own translations, showing the strategies and solutions adopted to face the problems posed by the translation
- present a short work of translation accompanied by an analysis of the text and a study of the author and the work that serve as a critical introduction to the proposed translation

- on the level of learning ability, the student will be able to:
- distinguish the various fields of reference and their specific codes and languages
- put the acquired knowledge to use and develop skills and abilities in translation practice.

Knowledge of Arabic Language (Upper Intermediate level)
For foreign students, knowledge of the Italian Language (Intermediate level)

The course is divided into two parts:
1) historical-theoretical part
2) translation workshop

1) The following thematic units will be addressed in the first phase:
- Historical background. The translation movement between the West and the Arab world. Some examples
- Translation as process and practice. The different types of translation on scale (from literary to free), equivalence and loss
- Cultural translation. Principles and issues
- Between denotating meaning and connotative meaning. The translator's approach to the text.
- Literary genre. The different texts and the challenges of translation.
) translating prose
) translating poetry
) other typologies. Drama and audiovisual translation.
- Some textual issues: internal cohesion, intertextual factors, metaphor, allusions and proverbs
- Linguistic variation and translation. Fushà, dialect, mixing and hybridization
- Text and paratext. Some relevant editorial aspects. Notes and caveats, translator's prefaces, translation and reception

In the workshop part, the practical issues and problems of translating literary or publishing-related texts from Arabic into Italian will be addressed. Classroom translation activities will be carried out as well as translation revisions of texts responding to the different genres covered: prose, poetry, drama and audiovisual field; some translation problems and strategies will be examined by referring to models and translated texts; and, where possible, different translations of the same work will be compared in order to analyze the different techniques employed by translators.
Seminars by the course's guest translators will be planned.
Students will be encouraged to submit a translation of a short literary text of their choice (an excerpt from a novel, a short story or a poem) at the end of the course, accompanied by a translator's note or critical introduction on the author and the work, explaining the reasons for the translation strategies adopted.

Main textboks:

Dickins J; Hervey S., Higgins I, “Thinking Arabic Translation”, Routledge, 2013
Excerpts from "THE ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF ARABIC TRANSLATION, ", Hanna S. - el-Farahaty H.; Khalifa A. (eds), Routledge, 2019
Further Texts and Materials provided by the teacher

Other recommended readings:
Venuti L., L'invisibilità del traduttore. Una storia della traduzione, Armando Editore 2013
Osimo B., "Manuale del traduttore. Guida pratica con glossario", Milano, Hoepli, 2004.
Bassnett S., “La traduzione. Teorie e pratica”, Milano, Bompiani, 1993.

written test. Translation and critical analysis of the text with a brief explanation of the translation choices that have been made

Lectures. PowerPoint presentations. E-Sources. Translation activities during class

Italian

written