LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - 2020/1

Module Overview

This module raises awareness to key linguistic issues beyond language proficiency that are necessary in order to become a translator. It provides students with a framework for understanding the relationship between language and translation, drawing on lexical semantics, morphology and syntax, pragmatics, discourse studies, text linguistics, semiotics and text processing.

Module provider

School of Literature and Languages

Module Leader

FRANKENBERG-GARCIA Ana (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

JACs code: Q910

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Text comprehension and creation under translation conditions; types of knowledge involved in translation;


• Text typology and translation;


• Genre and intercultural variations;


• Lexical and characteristics of texts;


• Grammar and discourse across languages;


• Non-equivalence and translation strategies.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they understand the key issues underlying language and translation, and are able to make informed translation decisions and justify the choices made.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

·         A guided commentary of 1000 where students will analyse a text for translation (30%)

·         An essay of 2500 to 3000 words discussing language and translation based on specific examples (70%)

Formative assessment and feedback

Group and class discussions will provide an opportunity for continuous informal feedback during the semester. The students will also receive individual written feedback on their assignments.

Module aims

• Locate translation in a textlinguistic framework;
• Raise students' awareness of the complexity of the relation between words, their forms and their meanings in different texts and contexts;
• Familiarize students with audience identification and translating for a specific purpose;
• Raise students' awareness of translation as a process of text comprehension and creation;
• Provide an understanding of the role of different modes of communication and their interaction in translation.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Provide students with an appropriate understanding translation, knowing how to make and justify translation choices and decisions

The learning and teaching methods include:

• 150 hours overall student workload.


• Classes will include lectures with opportunities for practical exercises and group and whole class discussions (22 hours).


• Contact hours will be complemented with materials and activities for guided study posted on SurreyLearn (8 hours)


• Self-study (120 hours)

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

Reading list for LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION : http://aspire.surrey.ac.uk/modules/tram430

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.