Short description: This introductory course in German to Greek translation deals with texts from daily news as source texts. On the basis of this text type, which is to be considered as one of many text types pertaining to the textual category of general texts, the students learn to deal with the linguistic, cultural and textual issues and problems that emerge from the translation of this particular text type and with this particular translational directionality in the language pair German/Greek. The translational approach used in this course is a functional one.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: 

• understand the textual, linguistic and cultural particularities of the journalistic news text type
• identify and deal with the linguistic, cultural and textual problems that arise when translating this particular text type
• have a sufficient command of the basic principles of the functional translation theory
• understand and apply the translational approach to text analysis (complementing the course “Translation Greek – German I”)
• effectively deal with challenges related to the translation of place names, first names, dialects, idioms. In particular, they will be able to choose the most appropriate techniques and justify their translation choices
• understand the cultural differences between German and Greek

• create bilingual term bases on issues that are central to news release (complementing the course “Translation Greek – German I”)

Week 1: The main axioms of functional translation theory are introduced. Translational approaches to text analysis are introduced. (Complementing the course “Translation Greek – German I”). 

Week 2: Introduction to General Translation and to the journalistic news type in particular. The central principles for the translation of this particular text type are presented. (Complementing the course “Translation Greek – German I”). The first source text to be translated by the students is analyzed in class (cultural news text 1).

Week 3: The translation (of the cultural news text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Source text number two (cultural news text 2) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 4: The translation (of the cultural news text 2) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Source text number three (lifestyle text 1) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 5: 

The translation (of the lifestyle text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected.

Source text number four (lifestyle text 2) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 6: The translation (of the lifestyle text 2) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected.

Source text number five (police release text 1) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 7: The translation (of the police release text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Source text number six (police release text 2) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 8: The translation (of the police release text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Source text number seven (sports news text 1) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 9: The translation (of the sports news text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Source text number eight (health news text 1) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 10: The translation (health news text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected.

Source text number nine (health news text 2) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 11: The translation (health news text 2) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected.

Source text number ten (political news text 1) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 12: The translation (of the political news text 1) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Source text number eleven (political news text 2) is distributed to the student to be prepared for the next session.

Week 13: The translation (of the political news text 2) is presented by 1-2 students in class with the help of electronic means (computer, projector). Their translation is then discussed, analyzed and compared, contrasted with the translation of the other course participants and, as far as needed, corrected. Conclusions are drawn with regard to the translation of the general text type of journalistic news text and to the translational directionality German to Greek. Furthermore, conclusions are also drawn by the students on the helpfulness of the theoretical tools of functional translation theory with regard to the translation of this particular text type.

Suggested reading:

Nord, C. (1988) Textanalyse und Übersetzen. Theoretische Grundlagen, Methode und didaktische Anwendung einer übersetzungsrelevanten Textanalyse. Heidelberg: Groos.

Nord, C. (2014), Η μετάφραση ως στοχευμένη δραστηριότητα – Εισαγωγή στις λειτουργικές προσεγγίσεις. [Μετ. Σίμος Π. Γραμμενίδης, Δέποινα Δ. Λάμπρου]. Αθήνα: Δίαυλος.    

Seel, O. I. (2015), Εισαγωγή στη γενική μετάφραση. Μια λειτουργική προσέγγιση με βάση το ζεύγος γλωσσών ελληνικά/γερμανικά και τα κειμενικά είδη συνταγών μαγειρικής, διαφημιστικών κειμένων και τουριστικών οδηγών. (Ηλεκτρονικό βιβλίο στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος «Κάλλιπος», Προσβάσιμο στο:  (https://repository.kallipos.gr/handle/11419/2568) ή απευθείας στο (https://repository.kallipos.gr/pdfviewer/web/viewer.html?file=/bitstream/11419/2568/7/00_master_document_interractive.pdf). 

Vermeer, H. J. (³1992) Skopos und Translationsauftrag - Aufsätze. Frankfurt am Main: IKO-Verlag für interkulturelle Kommunikation (thw; 2).

Face-to-face/Electronic source texts and bibliography is offered by the instructor of this course through e-class. All work at home and in class is based on this material. The students are asked to produce the translations of the given source text(s) and to present their work in class by using the computer and projector. 

Use of ICT in teaching.

Final written exams.