Unit information: Contemporary Hispanic Fiction in Translation in 2017/18

Unit name	Contemporary Hispanic Fiction in Translation
Unit code	HISP30072
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Brown
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit questions how Hispanic fiction in English translation shapes the imaginaries of the Hispanic world held by English speaking readers. Through in-depth comparison of Spanish and English versions of texts, together with analysis of the production and reception of translated fiction (from reviews to literary prizes), the unit encourages students to consider the role played by translators, publishers and critics. We will also compare the translation and reception of texts from different parts of the Hispanic world (Spain, West Africa and Latin America). In addition, this module builds on personal experience of editing and translating Latin American texts for an English speaking audience.

We will use the following examples:

• Crude Words: an anthology of contemporary Venezuelan writing, Katie Brown, Tim Girven and Montague Kobbe eds. (NB: This is not yet available to buy but extracts will be provided).
• Los enamoramientos/The Infatuations, Javier Marías (trans. Margaret Jull Costa).
• Arde el monte de noche/By Night the Mountain Burns, Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel (trans. Jethro Soutar).
• Señales que precederán al fin del mundo/Signs Preceding the End of the World, Yuri Herrera (trans. Lisa Dillman).
• La historia de mis dientes/The Story of My Teeth, Valeria Luiselli (trans. Christina MacSweeney).

Students will be asked to find further examples of their own.

This unit aims to:

• Consider the role played by translators, publishers and critics of Hispanic fiction in shaping the imaginaries of the Hispanic world held by English speaking readers.
• Compare the translation and reception of texts from different parts of the Hispanic world.
• Explore different translation strategies.
• Consider the translator as researcher and researcher as translator.
• Offer students an opportunity for individual research.

Students will be expected to read novels and secondary criticism in both Spanish and English.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, students will demonstrate:

1. Wide-ranging and critical understanding of the key issues arising from their study of Hispanic fiction in English translation.

2. Ability to respond in a rigorous and analytical manner to the issues/debates raised by the unit and to interrogate them critically and to a high level..

3. Ability to engage in close analysis of original texts, translations and reviews.

4. Critical awareness of theoretical scholarship in the field of study and ability to analyse and to express this in both oral and written form, as appropriate to level H.

5. Ability to carry out independent research inquiry appropriate to this level of study.

Teaching Information

1 x 2 hour seminar per week, including plenary presentation, class discussions and small group work.

Assessment Information

Group presentation (15-20 minutes depending on numbers in the group) and individual write up max. 2000 words (30% - 15% group mark for presentation, 15% for individual write-up); extended essay max. 4000 (70%), both assessing ILOs 1-5.

Reading and References

• Voice-Overs: Translation and Latin America, Daniel Balderston and Marcy E. Schwartz eds.
• The Subversive Scribe: Translating Latin American Fiction, Suzanne Jill Levine.