Guidelines for Project Work in Literary Translation (MA)

Annotated Translation

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General information:

https://www.uibk.ac.at/translation/studium/master/ma-projektarbeit-literarisches-und-audiovisuelles-uebersetzen.html

 A) General conditions

• The Literary Translation (MA) project consists of a written examination – translation and annotation (term paper) – and an oral examination – discussion of the written examination.

• Official registration for the examination ensues by e-mail, which must be sent to both the Director of Studies (Astrid Schmidhofer) and the examiners within the deadline for registration. The email must include: notification of the intention to take a respective exam date and stipulation of the text to be translated. The texts to be translated are selected by the examiners, whereby exam candidates are entitled to co-determine text selection or make suggestions concerning this.

The registration deadlines for the exam are:

• Mid-December (for the exam date in February)
• End of April (for the exam date in June)
• End of June (for the exam date in September)

The date for the oral exam (30 to 60 minutes) must be agreed with the examiners.

B) Translation

1. General information

• Text length: The source text is 8±1 pages long (standard page for literary translation: 30 lines of 60 characters each). If the source text is written in formal language, the length is reduced by 30% if the target text is also written in formal language.
• Translation processing time: The processing time must be agreed with the examiners.
• Aids: All aids and resources available to a translator are permitted, but the work must be completed entirely by the candidate themselves. By signing a declaration of academic honesty, candidates undertake to comply with this requirement.
• Language / direction: Candidates may choose the language and direction. However, translation into the candidate's native language or language of education is recommended.

2. Translation assignment

The source text is accompanied by a precise translation assignment that provides information on the following points, among others:

• Recipients of the target text (if relevant)
• Medium for communicating the target text to the target audience (printed book, audiobook, stage performance, etc.)
• The translation must be produced in accordance with the translation assignment.
• Formal requirements for submitting the exam (file type, font size, line spacing, etc.) will be communicated by the examiners together with the translation assignment and must also be taken into account.

C) Commentary

1. General information

• The commentary on the translation must be formulated in complete sentences, paying attention to linguistic correctness – grammar, vocabulary, style, etc. Otherwise, a maximum of 3 points may be deducted.
• After consultation with the examiners, the commentary may be written in either the source language or the target language.

2. Contents of the commentary

• Determination of the genre of the source text
• Analysis of the source text
• Solution strategies for the production of the target text and justification
• Aids / resources / sources

3. Key questions

3.1 Determining the genre of the source text

• Which genre would you classify the source text as belonging to? Name three prototypical text characteristics on which you base your decision.

3.2 Analysis of the source text

3.2.1 Text constitution of the source text

• What problems arose during the analysis of the source text with regard to text constitution? Give three examples from the following categories that are relevant to the source text:

  • Biographical background of the author and time of origin

  • Structure (no retelling of the content)

  • Narrative perspectives

  • Characters

  • Isotopies (textual links from a semantic perspective) or motifs

  • References (time, place, intertextuality, etc.)

  • Strophic form, meter, rhyme scheme

  • Dramatic form

  • Forms of speech (character speech, narrative report, mixed speech, etc.)

  • Paratext (prefaces, comments in the source text, stage directions, etc.)

  • Nonverbal elements (prosody, acoustic and visual signs, images, etc.)

3.2.2 Content, language, and style of the source text

• What problems arose when analyzing the source text in terms of content, language, and style? Taking the overall context into account, give four examples from the following categories:
  • Cultural specifics
  • Rhetorical figures and tropes
  • Lexicon
  • Phonetics
  • Word, sentence, and text grammar
  • Intentional orthographic characteristics

3.3 Solution strategies for producing the target text and justification

• Which strategies did you use to solve the problems mentioned in 3.2.2? Describe these strategies and justify your decisions.

3.4 Resources / Sources

• What resources did you use to solve the problems mentioned in 3.2.2? Regardless of relevant dictionaries, name two resources and justify your decision in each case.
• What secondary literature sources did you use? Name two reliable sources and justify your decision in each case.

D) Assessment

1. Assessment of the translation

The translation will be assessed in accordance with the assessment practice used in literary translation courses.

2. Assessment of the commentary

A total of 30 points will be awarded for the commentary. The following categories and points will be used as a basis:

 

Categories and points

 

Grading scale

When assessing the commentary, a pass level of 60% is based on the following grading scale:

 

3. Overall assessment of the Project Work in Literary Translation (MA)

The assessment of the written examination is based on 70% of the grade for the translation and 30% of the grade for the commentary. Both parts must be submitted and receive a positive grade. The overall assessment of the Literary Translation Project (MA) is based on 80% of the written examination and 20% of the oral examination.