Cultural Analysis dr hab. prof. UP Maria Piotrowska Course

Cultural Analysis
dr hab. prof. UP Maria Piotrowska
Course organization:
30 hours, second semester, Year one / M.A. studies; final exam in summer session
ECTS: 5 points
Course outline
The main objective of the course is to raise awareness of cultural problems and to understand cultural
factors at work in translation. The course fulfils its auxiliary function for the programme of translation
specialisation equipping students with a tool of cultural analysis. It represents a shift of focus in
translation studies towards culture in its general sense. Extensive reading is meant to provide the
framework for individual case studies and familiarity with basic issues in intercultural pragmatics;
classroom discussions and presentations demonstrate the empirical approach towards cultural data
corpus.
The course combines theoretical and practical components giving a lot of opportunity for individual
research based on students’ particular fields of interest with a prospective goal of B.A. or M.A. thesis.
Theoretical topics include: cultural mediation, models of culture, cultural values, frames of contexts,
levels of culture and cultural domains, among others. Practical topics reflect students’ interests and
current cultural issues in a particular academic year, such as: superstitions and prejudices connected
with weddings, magazine-oriented advertisement profile, cross-cultural analysis of restaurant menus,
proper names in translation, idioms and others. Lecture format and conversatorium format of classes
reflect the task-oriented approach towards teaching culture (co-operative learning tasks: gathering
precise segments of information, discussion on cultural findings, interpretation of information within
the context of the target culture or cultures in contact, conducting pragmatic analysis of cultural
items (solving ‘cultural puzzles’), finding context clues, reading background material and field work
(gathering authentic language data).
Course requirements and evaluation
* attendance
Students are responsible for attending classes. Only one unexcused absence from a ninety-minute
class is allowed. The instructor’s policy concerning make-up work for longer excused absences should
be obeyed. All absences are to be excused with doctor’s certificates handed in immediately after the
period of absence, i.e. within a two-week deadline.
* classroom participation
Active participation in classroom activities is awarded appropriately. In order to realise lesson goals
students are expected to actively participate in classroom activities and prepare homework
assignments.
Assessment components:
Each Student is expected to prepare two semester projects as written assignments and in-class
presentations, and take a semester test.
Course bibliography
Obligatory reading:
Duszak, A. 2001. "Języki, kultury, wspólnoty." in Język rodzimy a język obcy. (ed.) A. Kopczyński, U.
Zaliwska-Okrutna. Wydawnictwa UW. 7-23.
Gutt, E-A. 2004. Dystans kulturowy a przekład. Kraków: Universitas.
Hicks, L. (ed.) 1998. The Pragmatics of Translation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Hall, Edward T. and Mildred Reed Hall. 1989. Understanding Cultural Differences, Yarmouth, Maine:
Intercultural Press.
Hofstede, G.J., Pedersen, P.B. and Hofstede, G. 2002. Exploring Culture. Intercultural Press.
Lewicki, R. 2002. "Obcość w przekładzie a obcość w kulturze." in Przekład język kultura. (ed.) R.
Lewicki. Wydawnictwo UMCS. 43-53.
Lewis, R.D. 1999. When Cultures Collide. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Katan, D. 1999. Translating Cultures. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing.
Tabakowska, E. 2002. "Bariery kulturowe są zbudowane z gramatyki." in Przekład język kultura. (ed.)
R. Lewicki. Wydawnictwo UMCS. 25-35.
Wierzbicka, A. 2003. Cross-Cultural Pragmatics. Berlin - New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Wierzbicka, A. 1997. Understanding Cultures through Their Key Words. New York - Oxford: OUP.
Supplementary reading:
Baker, M. 1992. In Other Words. A Coursebook on Translation. London: Routledge.
Bassnett, S. 1991. Translation Studies. Routledge.
Bednarczyk, A. 2002. Kulturowe aspekty przekładu literackiego. Studia o przekładzie No 13. Fast, P.
(ed.) Katowice: "Slask."
Dąmbska-Prokop, U. 1997. Śladami tłumacza. Kraków: Educator Viridis.
Duranti, A. and Goodwin, Ch. (eds) 1992. Rethinking Context. Oxford University Press.
Hermans, T. 2002. Crosscultural Transgressions. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing.
Hall, Edward T. 1976/1989. Beyond Culture, New York: Doubleday.
Kubińscy, O. i W., Wolański, T.(red.) 2000. Przekładając nieprzekładalne. Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo
Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego.
Lewicki, Roman (ed.) 2000. Obcość w odbiorze przekładu. Lublin: Wydawnictwo UMCS
Trompenaars, F. and Hampden-Turner, Ch. 1997/2003. Riding the Waves of Culture. London:
Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Cultural topics in publishing series:
Język a komunikacja. Język trzeciego tysiąclecia. Kraków: Tertium.
Między oryginałem a przekładem. Kraków: Księgarnia Akademicka.
Studia o przekładzie. Katowice: Śląsk.
Przekładaniec. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego.