Course Description:

The class will focus mostly on practice, and students will also learn about the field of interpreting through several readings. We will also practice sight translation and public speaking, and will discuss ethics and standards of practice. Students will learn and practice the basic tools for improving their interpreting skills, such as memory and concentration enhancement exercises, summarising, clear enunciation, note-taking, and strategies for dealing with cultural and linguistic problems. Students will also learn about the field in general, and how and when consecutive interpreting takes place. 

 

Learning Material:

• Tlmočenie: Hraničná oblasť medzi vedou, skúsenosťou a umením možného, by Viera Makarová
• Note-taking for Consecutive Interpreting, by Andrew Gillies
• Note-taking in Consecutive Interpreting, by Jean-François Rozan
• An Interpreter's Handbook, by Jean Herbert
• Komunikácia, tlmočenie, preklad, by Daniela Müglová
• Zákon 382/2004
• Vyhláška 490/2004
• Vyhláška 491/2004
• Vyhláška 500/2005

 

Course Programme:

Week 1 - 18 September 2012

Introduction

 

Week 2 - 25 September 2012 - NO CLASS

Homework for Week 3:

1) Watch these videos:

• Consecutive Note-Taking
• Consecutive: Notes Explained
• Consecutive Demo

2) Reading: Language is Music by Mary Hawthorne

3) Paraphrasing: choose one paragraph 5-6 sentences long from a newspaper or a book and rewrite it in a VERY different style (more formal or informal - whichever applies)

 

Week 3 - 2 October 2012

Memory exercises

Homework for Week 4:

1) Watch these videos:

• Interpreting: Popular Myths
• The Eloquent Detective
•  Interpreting Behind the Scenes 

2) Reading: Note-Taking in Consecutive Interpreting,  by Jean-François Rozan

3) Note-Taking Practice: Find the transcript of a speech (1-page long) and convert it into notes according to Rozan's rules (you can also draw inspiration from other sources)

 

Week 4 - 9 October 2012

1) Memory exercises 2) Discussion on note-taking in consecutive interpreting

Homework for Week 5:

1) Listen to these short radio talks on interpreting.

2) Reading: An Interpreter's Handbook, by Jean Herbert, pp. 1-55

 

Week 5 - 16 October 2012

1) Memory exercises 2) Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 6:

1) Watch these videos:

• Role of the Interpreter
• Public Speaking

2) Reading: An Interpreter's Handbook, by Jean Herbert, pp. 55-95

 

Week 6 - 23 October 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 7:

1) Watch these videos:

• Concentration and Memory
• Note-Taking

2) Reading: Tlmočenie: Hraničná oblasť medzi vedou, skúsenosťou a umením možného, by Viera Makarová, pp. 1-60

3) Word Class Exercise: choose one paragraph 10-12 sentences long from a newspaper or a book and rewrite it, changing the word class of as many words as you can. (Ex.: XY appeared on TV to deny any involvement. >>> In his TV appearance, XY expressed his denial of being in any way involved.)

 

Week 7 - 30 October 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 8:

1) Watch these videos:

• Coping Tactics
• Cultural Awareness

2) Reading: Tlmočenie: Hraničná oblasť medzi vedou, skúsenosťou a umením možného, by Viera Makarová, pp. 61-114

 

Week 8 - 6 November 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 9:

1) Watch these videos:

•  Professionalism 
• Nuremberg Interpreter Recalls Historic Trials

2) Reading: Tlmočenie: Hraničná oblasť medzi vedou, skúsenosťou a umením možného, by Viera Makarová, pp. 115-169

 

Week 9 - 13 November 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 10:

1) Watch these videos:

• Court Interpreting Demonstration
• Federal Judiciary Careers: Court Interpreter

2) Reading:

• Ako sa stať úradným prekladateľom
• Znalec, tlmočník, prekladateľ
• Zákon 382/2004
• Vyhláška 490/2004
• Vyhláška 491/2004
• Vyhláška 500/2005

 

Week 10 - 20 November 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 11:

Reading:

• Etika súdneho tlmočenia by Andrej Rády (18 June 2010)
• Interpreting the Remarks of World Leaders by Isak Morin from Translation Journal (Vol. 15, No. 1)

 

Week 11 - 27 November 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

Homework for Week 12:

1) Watch these videos:

• Interpreting for the European Court of Justice
• Testing Times Excerpt (Part 1) (skip the part in French)
• Testing Times Excerpt (Part 2)

2) Reading:

Pragmatic Failure in Consecutive Interpreting by Shang Wu from Canadian Social Science (Vol. 3, No. 4)

 

Week 12 - 4 December 2012

Consecutive interpreting practice

 

Week 13 - 11 December 2012

Credit Week

 

Grading Scale:

Range	Grade
100% to 92%	A
91% to 84%	B
83% to 76%	C
75% to 68%	D
67% to 60%	E

 

Grade Breakdown:

Type of Activity	Breakdown
Class Activity	70%
Final Test	30%

 

Course Policies:

The success of your performance depends upon your participation. If you fail to prove that you have done the reading and other assignments due for a particular class, your presence will not count as class attendance on that day. You may be absent twice; beyond this, your grade will be changed to FX. Cheating and any other kind of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.