Translation from German

The course aims to introduce students to key issues in linguistic approaches to translation, with a particular focus on translation theories developed in German-speaking contexts. It seeks to equip students with the tools to analyze texts from linguistic, sociolinguistic, stylistic, and rhetorical perspectives, taking into account the socio-historical and cultural context in which a text was produced, as well as its linguistic and authorial specificities. In the practical component of the course, students will be invited to engage directly in the translation of texts from a variety of literary genres, putting their acquired skills to the test. They will also work with innovative tools, such as generative AI-based applications and/or language corpora.

By the end of the course, students will have refined their sensitivity to linguistic aspects of translation through critical engagement with selected translation theories. They will be able to identify the specific features of a text and apply a range of translation strategies, consciously drawing on their linguistic, literary, and theoretical competences to produce an Italian version of a text originally written in German. Students will also be familiar with, and able to use, the main lexicographic tools—both printed and digital—employed in professional translation practice. Furthermore, they will be able to justify and comment on their translation choices, both in written and oral form.