Special Topics in Translation

Catalog description

Special Topics in Translation focuses on how the translation of great literary works enables them to transcend the boundaries of nation and language. As we will see, the ability of texts to move beyond their original language and historical context introduces a vast array of practical and theoretical concerns relating to our contemporary global culture. In this course, we will explore such issues by examining how one or more well-known literary texts have been translated into English. By studying the overall evolution of these texts as they have been translated, adapted, and reinterpreted in different periods and geographies, we will see how these have been used to fulfill different political, social, and cultural agendas. Specific topics will vary by semester. (Please see the department website and CUNYfirst for details.) Sections may focus on a single text (e.g., Don Quixote) or on multiple texts, as decided by the instructor. Works covered may include (but are not limited to) Don Quixote, Madame Bovary, War and Peace, The Plague, In Search of Lost Time: Swann’s Way, Tang dynasty poetry, or New World texts, depending on the instructor’s linguistic and literary interests. (Students will receive credit for ENG 4180 or CMP 4180. Students may repeat ENG/CMP 4180 if the topic is different. The F replacement may be applied, regardless of discipline code, only if the same topic is repeated.