Learning objectives
As well as continuing to develop written and oral language skills and translation strategies (from English into Italian and Italian into English) acquired during the first year of study, the course aims to provide students with solid general and specific knowledge of the methods of analysis of audiovisual texts, in a translational perspective.
During the course students will learn to:
.understand and analyse audiovisual texts in the original language, the complex nature of which is expressed not only in terms of formal and informal characteristics of the language, but also in the discursive-cultural contents expressed.;
.research independently further information on the topics discussed in class, retrieving both traditional paper and digital texts;
.formulate reasoned judgments and opinions after a thorough analysis of the text, even with regard to complex phenomena;
.communicate and discuss in English at the level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference, contents, analyses and theories in an appropriate register, i.e. making the necessary lexical and syntactic choices;
.apply the skills developed during the course to the analysis of various audiovisual text types and justifying interpretation on the basis of a close examination of the text.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course, which will be taught in English, focuses on audiovisual translation (AVT). After a brief theoretical introduction on the wider field of Translation Studies, its fundamental concepts and terminology, the course will focus on AVT and its two main modes: dubbing and subtitling. After a definition of dubbing and subtitling, the interaction between text and images will be discussed, together with the technical issues that constrain the two translation modes in terms of time and space. Attention will then be drawn to the different conventions applied in what is considered standard practice in dubbing and interlingual subtitling, and examples of the most common strategies will be offered. All these concepts will be illustrated with examples and clips of dubbing and subtitling from English into Italian. The course will also offer the opportunity to work with a number of different audiovisual texts, from drama to comedy to TV series, in order to explore different aspects such as the translation of humour, cultural references, language variation, multilingualism, and the use of slang.
As far as practical language competence is concerned, the students will attend throughout the academic year classes held by foreign language.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Baccolini, R., Bollettieri Bosinelli, R. M., Gavioli, L. (eds.) (1994) Il Doppiaggio: Trasposizioni Linguistiche e Culturali. Bologna: Cooperativa Lib. Univ. Ed. Bologna
Díaz Cintas, J. & Remael, A. (2007) Audiovisual translation: Subtitling. Manchester, St. Jerome.
Minutella, V. (2007) Translating for Dubbing from English into Italian. Torino: Celid.
Pavesi, M. (2005) La traduzione filmica. Carocci editore.
Paolinelli, M., Di Fortunato, E. (2005) Tradurre per il doppiaggio. La trasposizione linguistica dell’audiovisivo: teoria e pratica di un’arte imperfetta. Hoepli Milano.
Perego, E. (2005) La traduzione audiovisiva. Carocci, Roma.
A detailed bibliography of texts (the object of study) will be given during the course and clearly indicated in the examination programmeto be distributed.
Texts for developing language skills will also be indicated by the foreign language assistants at the beginning of the year.
Teaching methods
In class, the lecturer will present in English the main elements of media discourse in all its varied aspects, indicating a series of prescribed texts that will be made available or indicated on the LEA platform. Further suggestions will be given during the course for individual study and analysis with a view to stimulating in the student a high level of independence in approaching textual analysis as indicated by the lecturer.
Students will also attend practical lessons held by foreign language assistants throughout the whole academic year.
They will also be required to complete an individual course of study (minimum 6 hours) in the multimedia laboratory to be discussed with the lecturer.
Assessment methods and criteria
Evaluation of the knowledge and skills acquired during the course will be carried out by means of a preliminary written test and oral examination at the end of the academic year. The knowledge and competences that will be evaluated are as follows:
. written and oral competence in the English language corresponding to the level C1 (Common Eropean Framework of Reference) and, in particular the acquisition of all language skills (written and spoken) as well as translation strategies from English to Italian and Italian to English in a register appropriate to the text genre and which reflects the communicative functions of the source text;
. knowledge of text features and context, formal, informal and ideological issues relating to the text genre and object of study;
. an ability to study independently, re-elaborate the contents imparted during the course, propose individual research complementary to the topics discussed during lectures, solve problems relating to the retrieval of information and decoding of complex texts, to formulate individual judgements and opinions.
With a view to verifying whether such knowledge and level of competences have been achieved, the aim of the oral examination is to evaluate the ability of the student to re-elaborate, reformulate such knowledge as well as the ability to apply the knowledge and skills gained to text analysis and also apply them at a contrastive level.
The preliminary written text evaluation will be considered insufficient if the student is found lacking in any of the language or translation skills; an evaluation of insufficent (less than 18/30) does not permit access to the oral examination.
A final evaluation of insufficient is determined by the lack on the part of the student: to demonstrate a minimum knowledge of the contents of the course; to express him or herself adequately in English (expected level of C1) on the topics of the course; to discuss and solve problems regarding the retrieval of information and decoding of complex texts, and to formulate independent critical judgementsand opinions. The final evaluation takes into account the competences gained and mark awarded in the preliminary written test.
A final evaluation of sufficient (18-23/30) is determined if the student is able to show that he / or she has mastered the basic notions and contents of the course and is sufficiently able to express them, even simply, at a level of English that at least corresponds in part to the C1 level. An average mark of (24-27/30) is awarded to the student who can demonstrate he / she possesses a more than sufficient command of the language and theoretical knowledge (24-25/30) or good (26-27/30) according to the above criteria of evaluation. The highest marks ( 28- 30/30 and merit) are likewise awarded on the basis of a very good to excellent command of the language and theoretical knowledge according to the above criteria of evaluation.
Other information
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