EN 601 – Political & Economic Translation

Dr. Ahmed El-Shiekh

Rania Refaat Bassiouny

The students are introduced to the basic linguistic and stylistic features of the language register under study through tackling short representative texts. They are expected to make use of these characteristic features in the translation of similar yet not identical texts on their own. Emphasis shall be laid on the extensive rather than the intensive study of the various texts covered by the course. In other words, the ultimate objective of the course is not to produce the best possible translation of each and every text (Intensive), but to learn the best approach to handle similar texts in similar language fields in the future. Various translation problems in each language register in question are highlighted for the students and the appropriate techniques to deal with them are pointed out for the students. Hence, the students are expected to have learnt how to overcome such translation difficulties by the end of the course as well as demonstrate their theoretical knowledge of such techniques and linguistic and stylistic features of the language register under study in their mid-term test and final examination. This helps students develop the necessary skills to cope with various translation problems that arise from the register-specific features of the texts and from the accepted TL and SL linguistic and cultural norms. It will also equip students with the necessary basic skills to deal with the professional market. The main sources of the texts are basically authentic professional political and economic journals and documents in English and in Arabic

This course is designed to familiarize students with translation of texts that belong to different genres or language registers. It aims at enhancing students’ translation skills with respect to Arabic-English/English-Arabic political and economic translation in the register of politics and economics. It also aims to familiarize them with the socio-cultural, linguistic and technical dimensions that characterize this type of translation. The course will also equip students with the necessary basic skills required for the professional market as well as the knowledge to pursue further practice and/or research in this field of translation in particular, as well as other related fields.

Midterm 20 marks Coursework 20 marks End of Term 60 marks

An Anthology compiled by the course Instructor.

Baker, M. (ed.) (1977). The Routledge Encyclopaedia of Translation Studies, London and New York. Routledge – Catford, J.C. (1965). A Linguistic Theory of Translation. OUP. – Crystal, D., and D., Davy. (1969). Investigating English Style. London, Longman. – Finch, C.A. (1969). An Approach to Technical Trans1ation. London. Pergamon Press Ltd. – Firth, JR. (1957). Papers in Linguistics. OUP. – Jupp, T.C. and Shodlin (l975). Industrial English. London. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. – Schäffner, Christina and Bassnett, Susan (eds). 2010. Political Discourse, Media and Translation. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. – Widdowson, H.G. (1978). Teaching Language as Communication. OUP. د. فوزي عطية. ) 1985 (. علم الترجمة – مدخل لغوى . دار الثقافة الجديدة . القاهرة د. محمد عناني. ) (2003 . نظرية الترجمة الحديثة . الشركة المصرية العالمية للنشر – لونجمان