Hello! It’s a pleasure to (virtually) meet you. We’re really looking forward to our semester together. Please take a few minutes to explore our class website and read about our class.
Before each class, you’ll find the agenda and homework posted on the home page of this website. Here’s what we’ll be doing on our first day of class tomorrow, Tuesday January 21, from 12:30-2pm in 242 Dwinelle:
We’ll briefly introduce the course. Then we’ll start with brief intros for today:
- Please say your full name and what you like to be called
- If you’re comfortable, please share your gender pronouns
- Tell us where you’re from
We’ll then do a brief activity, in groups of 3 and then as a whole group, to start to think about translation. Below are emoji translations of the first lines of some well-known novels. We’ll pass out a handout of those lines, and please try your best to match the lines to the emojis.
Afterwards, we’ll have a brief discussion about these translations:
- Which ones were easy? Which ones were hard? Are there some that just didn’t make sense?
- What translation strategies were used to turn the first lines into emojis? How did you as a reader figure those out?
- Do you think any of these change based on the language we’re speaking or the cultures we’re coming from? Can you think of other examples particular to the language(s) you speak? Do you read or use emojis differently in different languages?
- Do you even think these are translations? Why or why not?
- Finally, what emojis would you use to get across the concept of translation?
This discussion should help you brainstorm ideas for the Introductory Text, which is due at the beginning of our next class.
Finally, we’ll go over the syllabus and schedule.
The homework for the upcoming classes will always be located at the end of each post. Here is the upcoming homework:
- Please read through the syllabus carefully and email us with any questions that arise.
- By 2pm Wednesday, January 22, post a brief response on bCourses under the Discussion link “Community Guidelines.” For you, what factors contribute to creating a collective learning environment? What is the most important guideline you’d suggest to help build our reading and writing community? Explain why this is important and how it will impact your and our shared experiences in this class. You might want to consider guidelines pertaining to respect, active listening, inclusive language, constructive criticism/peer review, electronics, food in class, etc. For examples, check out the University of Michigan’s CRLT. This is a discussion that we’ll continue in class, so please do read each others’ posts and feel free to like and reply to them!
- The Introductory Text is due at the beginning of next class, Thursday, January 23. It should be printed, stapled, formatted, submitted via bcourses, and turned in in your writing folder as indicated on the assignment. (We ask that you please do this before reading the 4 pieces below.)
- The Interest Inventory is also due at the beginning of next class, Thursday, January 23, in your writing folder. We’re looking forward to getting to know you!
- Also for our next class on Thursday, January 23, please read the following 4 short pieces. These texts will be passed out as a packet in class, and we ask that you use the links below to familiarize yourself with the links within the articles themselves.
- Ideally by Thursday, January 23, but by Tuesday, January 28 at the latest, buy the course reader at Krishna Copy, which is located at 2595 Telegraph Avenue. We recommend going with someone you met in class today.
- Get a copy of Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend.
Translating Women 