Minor in Translation

Requirements

The Minor in Translation is open to all students in NTU. Students who pursue the Minor in Translation and obtain good academic results, will have chances to be awarded the following scholarships:

  • Wan Boo Sow Awards for Minor in Translation

  • Han Suyin Scholarship Fund in Translation Studies

  • Mrs Wong-Mah Jia Lan Chinese-English Minor in Translation Book Prizes

To enroll into the programme, the following entry requirements must be met:

Chinese Language:

  • B4 and above for Chinese/ Higher Chinese at GCE 'O' level; or

  • B4 and above in 'AO' level examination or

  • Pass in GCE 'A' level Chinese or

  • A pass in UEC/SPM or other equivalent qualifications.

English Language:

  • B4 and above in GCE 'O' level English Language or a pass in General Paper; or

  • B in SPM/UEC or Band 3 in MUET; or

  • Other equivalent qualification in English.

Students who do not meet the above requirements may gain entry through a language proficiency test conducted by the school.

Structure of the Curriculum

Students looking to pursue a translation minor are expected to complete five out of the eight courses, including two Core courses HT5101 and HT5401, any three courses from HT5102, HT5201, HT5202, HT5301, HT5302 and HC7013.

 

CORE Courses (with effect from AY23-24 S2 onwards)
Course Code and TitleNo of Hours Per WeekNo. of AUs
HT5101 Translation: Histories, Theories and Principles
3 hours seminar
3
HT5401 Translation: Appreciation, Criticism and Evaluation
3 hours seminar
3

 

Elective courses  (with effect from AY23-24 S2 onwards)
Course Code and TitleNo of Hours Per WeekNo. of AUs
HT5102 Language Foundation for Translation3 hours seminar3
HT5201 Translation: Techniques and Practice
3 hours seminar
3
HT5202 Audiovisual Translation
3 hours seminar
3
HT5301 Linguistics, Culture and Translation
3 hours seminar
3
HT5302 Literary translation into Chinese Context
3 hours seminar
3
HC7013 Translation and Modern China (for Year 4 students)3 hours seminar3

 

Translation Courses

HT5101 Translation: Histories, Theories and Principles

The objectives of this course are to introduce the history and principles of translation relating to Singapore and Sinophone communities. This course will enhance bilingual language competence, interpretation power, comprehension ability through the decoding and recoding process of translation relating to Sinophone cultures. This course is suitable for those who have interest in language matters, translingual practice and bilingual learning. The learning outcomes are manifold. By the end of this course, students are able to 1) apply essential knowledge and techniques to enhance translation skill and cultural literacy on which translation practice is based; 2) Articulate the basic principles and theories governing translatorial practice in our mulitinlingual society. 

 

HT5102 Language Foundation for Translation

This course provides an introduction to the distinctive language features of Chinese and English and aims at highlighting the mechanics of translation as a process of linguistic transfer. Topics include phrase and clause structure and semantic-syntax interface in both Chinese and English. Emphasis will be placed on inculcating an appreciation of language differences in students and helping them develop critical language analysis competencies so that they can approach translation issues from various angles of contrastive language structure and use. The course will be the foundation course which prepares students for other courses of Minor in Translation programme.

 

HT5201 Translation: Techniques & Practice

This course aims to provide practice-oriented training in English-Chinese and Chinese-English translation. It covers the basics of translation techniques and how to analyse texts and develop translation strategies through collaborative activities. You will be introduced to the linguistic, syntactic and stylistic features of texts in three specialised areas of translation: 'Mass Media', 'Business and Finance', and 'Science and Technology'. Through the three themes, you will also gain a working understanding of translation project management and take turns acting as the coordinator, translator, and proof-reader.

 

HT5202 Audiovisual Translation

This course aims to provide an introduction of theoretical concepts and professional practice of audiovisual translation (AVT); practical experience of screen translation between Chinese and English; opportunities to be involved in and lead group projects; an awareness of pragmatics in cross-cultural communication; and guidance in developing knowledge of cross-cultural communication through analysing audiovisual materials, identifying problems facing audiovisual translators, and discussing potential solutions.

 

HT5301 Linguistics, Culture and Translation

This course not only considers differences between Chinese and English in terms of semantics, rhetoric and pragmatics but also provides students with a basic understanding of the cognitive and epistemic issues involved in cross-cultural encounters and dialogues, introducing students to the larger cultural forces at work in translation such as the ideology, poetics and patronage of both the source and target cultures and investigating a variety of bumps and barriers faced by the translator due to differences in customs, manners, imagination, values and beliefs underlying the two cultures under study. Students will learn to examine translation issues from an analytical linguistic point of view and be familiar with the resources that lead to effective and serviceable translation, and will be helped to develop critical awareness of cultural problems which pose challenges to translation when translating texts between Chinese and English.

 

HT5302 Literary translation into Chinese Context

The purpose of this course is to enhance bilingual skills, interpretation power, comprehension ability through the process of translation from English to Chinese in literary context. By focusing on the process and products of translating English literary text into modern Chinese language, the course will give you concrete methods into the mastery of language skills and literary expression in a bilingual environment.
This course is suitable for those who have interest in literature, translation and bilingualism. 
This course is designed to teach you how to appreciate and criticise works of literature in a bilingual context, and to create their own translation.  Therefore, this course is suitable for anyone who prepare to be a practical translator, copyeditor, technical writer, creative writer and a literary critic. 

 

HT5401 Translation: Appreciation, Criticism and Evaluation

This course introduces students to the methods and principles of appreciating and evaluating translated texts in both Chinese and English, and inculcates in them the ability to tackle the theoretical issues involved and to adopt appropriate strategies in translation. Translation criticism is an essential link between translation theory and its practice. Original and translated texts of classical, modern and contemporary literary works in both English and Chinese, dealing with a set of themes selected from genres like poetry, prose, fiction and drama will be examined. Students will be given extensive practice in analysing translations already published, and encouraged to apply translation-critical methods to their own work.

 

HC7013 Translation and Modern China 

*This course is available for Year 4 students.

This course aims at providing a comprehensive training in translation theories, with emphasis on the new discipline known as Translation Studies emerged in the 1970s. The course will illustrate the application and understanding of the theories with special case study in Modern China. Students will have a good grasp of various schools of thoughts in translation theories and a thorough understanding of the modern literary and cultural history.

选修者必须具备以下条件：

华语​ 

  1. "O"水准高级华文考试成绩达到B4或以上，或
  2. "AO"水准华文考试成绩达到B4或以上，或
  3. 通过"A"水准华文考试/高级华文考试，或
  4. 通过华文SPM/UEC考试或其他同等资格华文考试。
 
英语 
 
  1. GCE"O"水准英语考试成绩达到B4或以上，或通过综合考试 (GP)，或
  2. SPM/UEC成绩为B，或MUET为3级，或
  3. 拥有其它英文同等资格。
 
注：未达到上述水准要求的同学，只要通过中文系的语文水平鉴定考试即可选修。

 

翻译副修课程架构

学生必须修完所有三门必修课，再另从四门选修课中任选两门课修读，方可满足要求。副修课程需15学分。

选择S/U的课程将无法计入副修课程资格。

必修课程​
课程代号及名称​​​​​
每周课时
学分​
HT5101 翻译：历史、理论与原则
3小时（研讨课）
3
HT5102 翻译的语言基础
3小时（研讨课）
3
HT5401 翻译评鉴
3小时（研讨课）
3

 

选修课程​​
课程代号及名称​​​​​
每周课时
学分​
HT5201 笔译技巧与实践
3小时（研讨课）
3
HT5202 影视翻译入门
3小时（研讨课）
3
HT5301 语言学、文化与翻译
3小时（研讨课）
3
HT5302 文学翻译：英译中
3小时（研讨课）
3

 

翻译课程简介

HT5101 翻译：历史、理论与原则（Translation: Histories, Theories and Principles）

本课旨在深入浅出讲解中西翻译理论、原则及翻译史。翻译工作重视双语能力外，在语言转换过程中，特别看重语言分析及文本诠释能力。本课程以新加坡及华语社会能接触到各种翻译为题，以此探讨文化、语言与翻译的关系，让学生了解中西古今翻译原理和理论的发展，以此增加同学翻译知识及实用技巧外，并提升语言及文化分析的认知能力。本课通过探讨文化议题，培养学生的文化素养，让学生在多元语言及文化环境中，以翻译作为文化实践行为。 


HT5102 翻译的语言基础（Language Foundation for Translation）

介绍性课程。探讨英汉两种语言的不同特征，着重于翻译作为语言转换的技巧。重点放在指导学生鉴别和分析语言的差异，帮助他们培养必备的语言分析能力。学员通过训练，学习掌握语言结构对比方法并从运用等角度来分析翻译问题。


HT5201 笔译技巧与实践（Translation: Techniques & Practice）

本课程提供英汉、汉英翻译实践训练。课程内容涵盖基础翻译技巧和文本分析，通过小组活动学习翻译策略。课程将分“大众传媒”、“商务与财经”以及“科学与科技”三大主题进行，同学们会学习不同文本的语言、句法和风格特征。同时，在不同主题的翻译活动中，同学们将轮流扮演专案管理者、译者、和校稿员的角色，进而对翻译专案管理有基本的认识。


HT5202 影视翻译（Audiovisual Translation）

本门课为入门课程，介绍影视翻译基础理论和实践技巧。同学们将通过实际参与和主导翻译专案来学习英汉、汉英影视翻译，提高跨文化的语用能力，并且通过影片分析来培养跨文化的知识和意识，以及探讨翻译问题与解决方案。


HT5301 语言学、文化与翻译（Linguistics, Culture and Translation）

第一部分着重讨论汉英两种语言在句法、语义、修辞和语用诸方面的差异，引导学生从分析语言学的角度来探讨翻译问题，并熟悉有效而适用的翻译方法。第二部分向学生介绍跨文化交流与对话中所面临的认知和认识上的问题。文化因素往往是翻译中的一大挑战，我们将通过对具体范例的讨论和分析，让学员认识这方面的问题。

HT5302 文学翻译：英译中 （Literary translation into Chinese Context）

本课旨在教授实用、理论及历史层面的文学翻译知识。在日常交际、商贸传销、外交词藻中，我们常常都从文学作品中撷取思想资源，引经据典，显示我们的文化修养。文学翻译如何可能？诗歌可以翻译的吗？外语能把不合时宜的中国典故如实翻译吗？深入地研读文学翻译的原作、译作以及分析两种语言因文化差异而作出的取舍及适应，不单让我们对翻译的概念产生面目一新之感、更能让我们在遇上文学技巧、文类、作者风格中不能翻译的困难时，能迅速作出得心应手的应对策略。


HT5401 翻译评鉴（Translation: Appreciation, Criticism and Evaluation）

向学生介绍评鉴中、英文译作的方法和原则。翻译评鉴是翻译理论与实践之间必不可少的一条联系纽带。学生将有机会大量分析已经发表的译作，并运用所学对自己的译作进行自我评鉴。​​​