Translation is a pivotal human activity that allows for the transmission and circulation of stories, religion, and various forms of knowledge across geographical and cultural boundaries. In Asia, great cultural and linguistic diversity has resulted in diverse and complex ways in which people have theorized and practiced translation, from ancient times to the present. Examining the histories of particular translation traditions and the works they have produced teaches us much about contacts, influence, cultural and political expansion, subversion and creative expression.

This course will consider various translation traditions across Asia, with a focus on South and Southeast Asia. It will examine these traditions from a comparative perspective, seeking to highlight how different societies, in different places and periods, conceptualized translation and practiced it. A central theme of this inquiry will be the relationship between religion and translation as it took shape in Asia, through an examination of the history and practice of translation in Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. The course will offer students an opportunity to engage both with theoretical readings about translation in Asia and with translated texts from a variety of genres. Students will be asked to locate and present their own example of a translated Asian text and its translation history.

*An appreciation of the importance of contextualizing translation in historical period and culture.

*A familiarity with theories and practices of translation in several Asian societies that have been often marginalized in Translation Studies literature.

*An appreciation for the powerful role translation has had in shaping Asian cultures, creating shared repositories of knowledge and image across diverse societies

*An understanding of the relationship between religion and translation and how ideas about translation have profoundly influenced a differentiated spread of  religious traditions in Asia

* An appreciation of the beauty and creativity of the translations to be read and discussed.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION

1. Four 1-2 page responses to the readings throughout the semester  20%

2. Active class participation  10%

3. Class presentation 20%

4. Final essay  40% (4000 words)

5. Attendance 10%

The course requires three contact hours per week and several hours of preparation for the class meetings outside of contact hours.

Entry to masters coursework program, or permission of convenor. Incompatible with LANG4001.

Intending students must have a Bachelors degree in a related discipline (for advanced undergraduates participation is by permission of instructor). Some knowledge of translation studies and/or literary studies will be assumed.

There are no textbooks for this course. Articles, essays and other readings will be available for download on Wattle.

Access to Microsoft Word and the internet (including Wattle)