At the beginning of semester, we wrote introductory texts about our relationships with and understandings of translation. Since then, we have encountered a number of translations, across diverse geographic regions, time periods, and genres and media. As we begin this new stage of the semester, we’d like to encourage you to think about how you relate to translation and to complete your own creative translation. Has your understanding of translation changed? How so? This assignment will be a more open project than some of the others we have done so far, and the main difference is that what you turn in doesn’t necessarily have to be an essay. We do, however, encourage you to draw on the skills we’ve been developing throughout the semester, such as close reading and interpretation. Since we are working remotely, we would assume that the majority of you will be working solo; however, if you have a friend from our class whom you would like to collaborate with virtually, you can do that too! This project has four components, with different due dates:
I. As homework for Tuesday, March 17:
Brainstorm 2-3 ideas for your project. For this project, you can pick any item from the syllabus (including the packet from the first day of class and the dance videos) to creatively translate into another language or medium. Which text or item are you interested in translating and into what other language or medium? As we’ve done with close reading, we’ll consider not only content, but form as well—the form your project takes can be suited to your understanding, preferences, strengths, and the ideas you’re trying to convey. Your translation project might consist of: writing a song, scripting a debate, creating infographics, putting on a skit and recording it by video, performing a monologue, reading a poem or personal narrative, drawing a comic, making a map, shooting a photo series, making a website or blog, running an experiment, designing a costume, choreographing a dance, etc. It’s up to you to decide. Post your ideas on Bcourses by 12:30 pm, that is when we start our digital session.
II. In our “digital class,” Tuesday, March 17:
Write a one-paragraph reaction/reflection/response to your introductory text that you wrote at the beginning of the semester, which you will post on Bcourses. Start by revisiting your introductory text for this class. Has anything changed about your relationship with and/or understanding of translation and/or gender since the beginning of the semester? If so, explain what. Has anything we’ve read, discussed, or viewed made you question or reaffirm certain ways of thinking about translation, your relationships with translation, or about yourself? Was it a specific text, discussion, conversation, or moment of writing? Describe and explain which and in what way. Finally, what might you like to share with others to create a collaborative consideration of this multifaceted topic? Submit your bcourses post by 2:00 pm, and we encourage you to respond to others’ posts as well.
III. As homework for Thursday, March 19:
Do a small-scale version of your translation project. After choosing one of the ideas you prepared for Tuesday, do some work on a small portion of your proposed project. Think mini! If you proposed translating My Brilliant Friend into Spanish, for instance, translate only one or two paragraphs; if you proposed translating Mistral’s “Locas Mujeres” into a song, choose only a short section of one of the poems. The purpose is to learn by translating, not to complete a large-scale project. Submit your project on Bcourses, making sure that you indicate which text you are translating, by 12:30 pm, that is, when we start our digital session. If at all possible, include a shareable link to your project— we’d like to post these on our class website if you’re comfortable with that. (This could be a google doc or slide containing text, a photo of your project, etc.)
IV. In our “digital class,” Thursday, March 19:
Write a translator’s note, explaining your project and reflecting on what the experience of translation was like, which you will post on Bcourses.This one-paragraph translator’s note should discuss how the interplay of form and content in your performance create meaningful choices in your work and why. As we’ve seen in the translator’s notes and introductions we’ve read for this class, this is your chance to give some background information about your project, summarize some of your thoughts on translation and justify why you chose the form you did for your project. Did your idea for your project evolve as you translated? What challenges did you encounter? Did you enjoy this process? As we’ve done with writing assignments throughout the semester, explain how the form and content of your project interact to create meaning. Once you have posted your own translator’s note, comment on at least two of your classmates’ notes. Submit your bcourses post and responses by 2:00 pm.
Grading:
Originally, this project was worth 5% of your overall grade. However, given the constraints imposed by working virtually, we have decided that this project will now count towards homework and participation grades. The weight of those categories in the grading scheme will shift: Participation will now be 12.5% (up from 10%) and Homework will now be 17.5% (up from 15%). The website grading tab and bcourses weighting have also been updated accordingly.
Our main focus will be that your work shows sustained reflection and thoughtfulness. Your work should demonstrate that you’ve given yourself time to really think through how your ideas have changed over the course of the semester so far. We hope that you’ll see this as an opportunity to integrate creativity into your engagement with the class, while simultaneously reflecting on our semester’s themes in a different way than the typical writing project.
If you complete all of the parts of the assignment thoughtfully and thoroughly, you will receive full credit for this project. Deductions will be made for missing components, late work, not being respectful towards your peers, and writing that feels rushed or general rather than thoughtful and specific.
Translating Women 