OVERVIEW

The course (36 hours of lectures, 6 ECTS credits) is intended for second-year students in the Degree Programme in Modern Languages and Literatures for Teaching, Publishing, and Media.

The central theme of the course will be the translation of Spanish fiction, from theory to practice.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to illustrate the main theories of literary translation and their application in the context of modern and contemporary Spanish literature.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with general knowledge of the main theoretical reflections developed in the field of Translation Studies, as well as of the methodologies applicable to the translation of narrative texts published in Spain in the Castilian language.

Through practical translation work proposed during the course, students will be able to strengthen their skills in textual analysis, in identifying the linguistic and rhetorical features of a work, and in developing an appropriate translation strategy.

PREREQUISITES

The course will be conducted using both languages involved. Therefore, an excellent knowledge of both Spanish and Italian is required.

TEACHING METHODS

36 hours of in-person lectures in Spanish.

Attendance is not mandatory but, given the significant practical component of the course, it is strongly recommended.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course aims to introduce some specific theoretical aspects concerning the translation of fiction. The knowledge acquired will then be applied through translation exercises involving excerpts from Spanish novels translated into Italian.

Some of the topics explored during the theoretical part of the course will include:

• Academic translation vs. publishing translation
• Translation assessment
• The stages of literary translation
• The translation of contemporary fiction
• The translation of realia
• The translation of titles
• Translator’s errors
• The footnote: the translator’s defeat?

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Attending students will prepare for the exam using their notes, the texts provided during the lectures, and the material uploaded to AulaWeb.

Non-attending students will prepare using the following texts:

• La voce del testo. L'arte e il mestiere di tradurre, Franca Cavagnoli, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2012
• Dire quasi la stessa cosa, Umberto Eco, Milano, Bompiani, u.e.
• La traduzione dello spagnolo. Teoria e pratica, Matteo Lefèvre, Rome, Carocci Editore, 2015 (only chapters 1, “Elements of Translation Theory and Methodology,” and 2, “Aspects and General Problems of Spanish-Italian Translation”)
• “Un modo di sentire la realtà”. La traduzione dallo spagnolo letterario, Marco Ottaiano, Rome, Carocci Editore, 2023 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam at the end of the course. The test will consist of translating a short passage taken from a novel from Spanish into Italian.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The student will be required to demonstrate knowledge of the main theoretical aspects concerning the translation of a narrative text and the ability to apply them appropriately within the Spanish–Italian linguistic context.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students are reminded that AulaWeb will be the platform used to communicate detailed information throughout the course and to share part of the study materials included in the syllabus.

Students who have officially submitted certification of disability, specific learning disorders (SLD), or other special educational needs are advised to contact both the course coordinator, Prof. Sara Dickinson (sara.dickinson@unige.it), and the instructor at the beginning of the course in order to agree on teaching and examination arrangements that, while respecting the course objectives, take into account individual learning needs and provide appropriate compensatory tools.