- Communicative competence in English at C1+ level or above
- Admittance to the exam for Lingua e traduzione inglese II/M is dependent on having passed all parts of Lingua e traduzione inglese I/M
- No prior knowledge of metaphor theory is required or expected

- to acquire strategies for translating meanings that are not documented in dictionaries, particularly metaphor
- to enhance analytical skills in relation to written texts, especially in the identification and interpretation of non-literal meanings (MIP and MIPVU procedures)
- to develop translation competence to level LT2 of the Petra-e framework of reference for the education and training of literary translators www.petra-education.eu
- to promote learner autonomy and critical self-evaluation
- to develop language proficiency (reading and listening comprehension, oral and written production) to level C2 in English

Metaphor in translation
This course focuses on how to translate those meanings that are not found in dictionaries due to their being rare, idiosyncratic, or innovative: primarily metaphor, but also simile, metonymy and other kinds of figurative language. Although traditionally viewed as a particular 'problem' for translation, metaphor is no more problematic than other kinds of complex meaning. Learning how to deal with metaphor in translation means learning how to translate the meaning that an author intends, irrespective of the words used in the source text.
The course covers the main theoretical aspects of figurative meaning and its translation: how to identify metaphor, metonymy, simile, analogy and idiom; how to determine whether or not a familiar word/ expression is being used to express an unfamiliar meaning; how to recognize conceptual metaphor; how to detach meanings from the words used to express them; how to decide when direct translation is preferable and when indirect translation can be adopted freely. The theoretical aspects are applied in the translation of a range of persuasive, promotional and literary texts, each of which exemplifies a particular kind of figurative language. Students' translations of these texts into Italian will be discussed in class, allowing them to compare notes and encouraging them to reflect on the quality of their work.

Running parallel to the course is the level C2 lettorato with dott.ssa Masturah Alatas and dott. David Tannert. Attendance is not mandatory but highly recommended; non-attending students should contact their tutors at the start of the academic session for guidance on self-study and for details of the end-of-year language exam format.

• 1.  (A) Christina SCHÄFFNER "Metaphor in translation". In Elena Semina & Zsófia Demjén (a cura di) The Routledge Handbook of Metaphor and Language Routledge, London, 2017 » Pagine/Capitoli: 247-262
• 2.  (A) Zoltan KÖVECSES Universality and Variation in the Use of Metaphor". In N.-L. Johannesson & D.C. Minugh (Eds.), Selected Papers from the 2006 and 2007 Stockholm Metaphor Festival Department of English, Stockholm University, http://remat.amu.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Kovecses_Universality-and-Variation-in-the-Use-of-Metaphor.pdf, 2008 » Pagine/Capitoli: pp.51-74
• 3.  (A) Michele PRANDI "Typology of metaphors: Implications for Translation". Mutatis Mutandis, 3, http://aprendeenlinea.udea.edu.co/revistas/index.php/mutatismutandis/article/download/7415/7005, 2010 » Pagine/Capitoli: pp.304-332
• 4.  (A) Gerard STEEN "Translating metaphor: what's the problem?" In Miller & Monti (eds), Tradurre Figure / Translating Figurative Language Bononia University Press, http://amsacta.unibo.it/ebook from 4030/1/TradurreFigure_Volume_MillerMonti2014.pdf, 2014 » Pagine/Capitoli: pp.11-24
• 5.  (A) Gerard STEEN et al. A Method for Linguistic Metaphor Identification: from MIP to MIPVU. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, 2010 » Pagine/Capitoli: Chapter 2 (pp25-42)
• 6.  (A) Gerard STEEN "From linguistic to conceptual metaphor in five steps" In R.W. Gibbs & G. Steen (a cura di), Metaphor in Cognitive Linguistics. Current Issues in Linguistics. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, 1999 » Pagine/Capitoli: 57-78

A detailed calendar of topics and readings will be uploaded to this page at the start of the course. The set texts will be made available to students upon request.

All texts for translation are provided in .docx format (see "materiali didattici" on this page)

A template for the translation log is provided in .docx format (see "materiali didattici" on this page)

• Each 2-hour lesson will consist of a student-led seminar based on topics covered in the reading list, and an extended translation lab consisting of a review and commentary of student translations of the previous lesson's focus text plus a preliminary analysis (trouble-shooting) of the text to be translated for the following lesson.
  Students attending are expected to take a full and active role during lessons, reading in advance the articles and chapters to be discussed in class, and submitting their translations by the deadlines set.

• Lingua e traduzione inglese II/M is evaluated in three parts:
  (i) the lettorato language exam (level C2) which counts for 40% of the overall grade;
  (ii) weekly translations (30%)
  (iii) written translation log, for discussion at oral exam (30%).
  
  ALL students must submit at least 8 English-to-Italian translations. The translation log (in English) must be completed for 3 of these translations. It must contain a revised version of the translation and detail the translation problems encountered and the strategies adopted. A template will be provided.
  Attending students must meet the coursework (translation) deadlines indicated in the course calendar; non-attending students must submit their translations together with their log in time for the exam.

English

English