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

• analyze German texts of various types using contemporary text linguistics tools (de Beaugrande & Dressler, Brinker, Nord)
• classify texts into text types and identify their characteristic linguistic features
• analyze the topological and informational structure of the German sentence in textual context
• apply the Nord model for systematic textual analysis as a pre-translation step
• implement theoretical frameworks (Skopos, functional equivalence) in practical translation decisions
• address translation problems involving culturally specific elements in a well-reasoned manner
• justify their translation choices using appropriate linguistic and translation studies terminology

Week 1 – Introduction to Text Linguistics

• What is a text?
• Language as system and as use (Saussure, Halliday)
• Analysis of the structure of simple German texts

Week 2 – Textuality

• Criteria of Textuality (de Beaugrande & Dressler)
• Identifying criteria in German texts

Week 3 – Text Types (Textsorten)

• Textsorten vs. Texttypen (Reiß, Werlich, Brinker)
• Functional classification
• Recognition and categorization of German Textsorten

Week 4 – Macro- and Microstructure of Text

• Thematic progression (thematische Entfaltung)
• Analysis of thematic progression in German texts

Week 5 – Linguistic Structure of German Text I

• Sentence topology (Vorfeld, Mittelfeld, Nachfeld)
• Verbklammer. Informational structure
• Analysis of verb position and communicative weight

Week 6 – Linguistic Structure of German Text II

• Nominalstil vs. Verbalstil
• Passivkonstruktionen
• Academic vs. journalistic discourse
• Style conversion: Nominalstil ↔ Verbalstil

Week 7 – Introduction to Translation Studies

• Core theories: equivalence (Nida), Skopos (Reiß & Vermeer), functional translation (Nord)
• Comparison of translations of the same German text

Week 8 – Textual Analysis as a Translator's Tool

• Nord's textual analysis model
• Extratextual factors
• Full textual analysis prior to translation

Week 9 – Textual Analysis as a Translator's Tool

• Nord's textual analysis model
• Intratextual factors
• Full textual analysis prior to translation

Week 10 – Culturally Specific Elements (Kultureme)

• Realia, Kulturspezifika
• Strategies: borrowing, description, adaptation, omission
• Translation of German Kultureme into Greek

Week 11 – Analysis and Translation of Specialized Texts

• Fachsprache: academic, legal, and economic texts
• Terminology (Terminologie)
• Translation of a German academic/legal text

Week 12 – Digital Text Analysis

Week 13 – Digital Text Analysis

Adamzik, K. (2016). Textlinguistik. Grundlagen, Kontroversen, Perspektiven (2. Aufl.). De Gruyter.

Brinker, K. (2010). Linguistische Textanalyse. Eine Einführung in Grundbegriffe und Methoden (7. Aufl.). Erich Schmidt Verlag.

Bußmann, H. (2008). Lexikon der Sprachwissenschaft (4. Aufl.). Kröner Verlag.

de Beaugrande, R. & Dressler, W. (1981). Introduction to Text Linguistics. Longman.

Dürscheid, C. (2012). Syntax. Grundlagen und Theorien (5. Aufl.). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Eisenberg, P. (2013). Grundriss der deutschen Grammatik. Bd. 2: Der Satz (4. Aufl.). Metzler.

Fabricius-Hansen, C. & Sæbø, K.J. (Hrsg.) (2011). In the Margins of Cohesion. Unipress.

Halliday, M.A.K. & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. Longman.

Helbig, G. & Buscha, J. (2013). Deutsche Grammatik. Ein Handbuch für den Ausländerunterricht. Klett-Langenscheidt.

Koller, W. (2011). Einführung in die Übersetzungswissenschaft (8. Aufl.). UTB / Quelle & Meyer.

Nida, E. & Taber, Ch. (1969). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Brill.

Nord, Ch. (2005). Text Analysis in Translation (2nd ed.). Rodopi. [ελλ. μτφ.: Κειμενική Ανάλυση στη Μετάφραση, εκδ. Παπαζήση]

Reiß, K. & Vermeer, H.J. (1984). Grundlegung einer allgemeinen Translationstheorie. Niemeyer.

Snell-Hornby, M. (2006). The Turns of Translation Studies. New Paradigms or Shifting Viewpoints? John Benjamins.

Stolze, R. (2011). Übersetzungstheorien. Eine Einführung (6. Aufl.). Gunter Narr Verlag.

Venuti, L. (1995). The Translator's Invisibility: A History of Translation. Routledge.

The course is based on a combination of theoretical instruction and laboratory application. It includes interactive lectures for the presentation of text linguistics and translation studies theories, guided textual analysis of German texts prior to translation, as well as hands-on translation workshops involving discussion and comparison of alternative solutions. Problem-solving approaches to translation challenges are applied, alongside reflective commentary on translation choices and critical use of digital tools (corpora, dictionaries, LLMs).

The course makes use of Information and Communication Technologies to support textual analysis and translation practice. These include the e-learning platform for the distribution of materials and announcements, digital text corpora and electronic dictionaries for documentation purposes, as well as introductory LLM tools within the framework of critical use.

Written exam