JEWISH CULTURE IN TRANSL IN MED IBERIA

Catalog description

The course explores both the practice of translation (the rendering of texts from one language into another) and the idea of translation (as a medium of cultural transmission) in medieval Iberia. Jews were not only the paradigmatic translators of texts from Arabic to Latin and Castilian but were also translators of literary phenomena into the Jewish literary cultures of Iberia. Further, Hebrew texts made their way into Romance languages, rendered by both Jewish and non-Jewish writers. Theoretical materials on translation and historical background on translation practices of the period will accompany readings. All readings are in English, but all texts will be made available in the original language, and students are encouraged to read in the original whenever possible. Sources in bold are primary sources. Students are expected to spend three hours preparing for each class session