Certificate in Signed Language Translation

The program examines the historical significance of translation and draws on insights and practices from the field of literary translation. It addresses current debates among translators and translation scholars about how best to translate literary texts. This is a rich and complex question because translation is not just a straightforward matter of exchanging words in one language for words in another. The matter of translation also involves cultural, social, aesthetic, political, economic and ethical considerations. The modules are structured to provide Deaf bilingual (ASL/English) individuals and hearing individuals with an opportunity to learn, improve, and expand their knowledge and skills in signed and written translations that are currently in high demand within the language services industry. The modules offer valuable techniques used by a good translator in the translation between ASL and English. The course offers every facet of the translation process: the complex process of rendering meaning from a source language/culture into a target language/culture.

Participants will gain experience working with a full range of texts from legal documents, business reports, and medical records to literary works, academic research, and marketing. They will develop critical analytical skills to question the traditional understanding of the relationships between the original and translated text, between author and translator, and the source and target languages and cultures. The course will teach learners to critically analyze and translate documents with accuracy, equivalency and integrity, with an understanding and application of different styles of translation. Throughout the course, it will be viewed as socio-cultural and ethical activities as well as linguistic ones.

After completing this program, the participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the historical development of translation, relevant theories, and approaches to translation as well as associated terminology
2. Explore the variety of definitions of translation and their implications as well as common misconceptions
3. Apply theory to inform and justify decision-making
4. Explain the decision-making processes involved in approaches to translation of specific texts and produce translations of different discourse genres, effectively rendering translations that are equivalent, conceptually accurate, and culturally appropriate.
5. Develop strategies and choices and recognize translation as a scholarly work.
6. Critically analyze, reflect and articulate how language, power, privilege and oppression impact translation decisions including issues of social justice, language attitudes, historical and current linguistic oppression, and audism
7. Demonstrate an understanding and application of metalinguistic and extralinguistic knowledge as well as the complexities of the multilingual and multimodal nature of translation practice
8. Evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of translations of specific texts produced by themselves and others and provide appropriate feedback
9. Demonstrate an understanding of the practice profession of translation including ethics, business practices, professional development and collegiality and teamwork
10. Apply knowledge of technology to assist in producing accurate translations (including but not limited to recording/editing of video, use of glossaries and dictionaries, and hardware and software for captioning/subtitling)
11. Define the meaning of a qualified professional translator
12. Critically reflect on translation products

The non-credit Certificate in Signed Language Translation (CSLT) program is delivered using an online blended format. Two-thirds of the instructions will occur synchronously in a video platform and one-third will be asynchronous (completed independently by participants). The 16-week program runs from January through May. Participants meet twice weekly via video during evenings (Eastern Time (ET)). Class assignments include weekly readings and reflective discussions, use of video materials and hands-on activities. Participants should plan on scheduling an average of seven hours per week for successful engagement in this program.

Module 1: History of Translation
Module 2: Theories and Approaches to Translation
Module 3: Social Justice, Power, Privilege and Oppression in Translation
Module 4: Discourse and Text Analysis for Translators
Module 5: The Translation Profession: Ethics, Associations, and Professional Development
Module 6: Translation in Specialized Domains (i.e. Legal, Medical, Business, Theatre)
Module 7: Technological Tools for Translation
Module 8: Internship: Observation and Practice Translation
Module 9: Capstone Project and Portfolio

Module 1: History of Translation
History of translation, including evolution of theories and the role of the translator, text types. Such scholars as Nida, Toury, Hatim, Baker, and Mason

Module 2: Theories and Approaches to Translation
Principles and concepts of translation including: translation theories, approaches to texts, (literal vs. dynamic equivalence, Skopos theory, etc.), terminology (source vs. target languages, texts genres), engaging with peers and clients in discussion translation approaches

Module 3: Race, Gender, Sexuality, Power, Privilege and Oppression in Translation
This module takes a critical look at issues of race, gender, sexuality, power, privilege and oppression in translated texts and in the translation profession; help learners understand why translation matters so deeply; helps us reflect upon the cultural values of ourselves and others; facilitates or impedes cross-cultural communication; enables the cross pollination of ideas and literary innovations; and reinforces or subverts all sorts of established power imbalances. Translation in the broadest sense; originality, authority, authorship, accuracy, ownership, audience; and the role of power and privilege in translation; use of language as a means of connection, hybrid identities, that foster constructive interactions between cultures, histories, and languages; reflection and engagement in the practice of translation as a way of honing linguistic and cultural competency.

Module 4: Discourse and Text Analysis for Translators
Principles and concepts of language and linguistics, including; levels of language use (phonology, morphology, etc.), discourse analysis, pragmatics, concepts of multimodality, bilingualism, and language attitudes. This module will focus with written and signed language texts to develop an understanding of micro-textual elements and macro-textual structures and patterns, and understand how to analyze both written and signed language texts.

Module 5: The Translation Profession: Ethics, Associations, and Professional Development
Principles and concepts of decision making, ethics and professionalism including: accepting/rejecting assignments (based on text genre, cultural and linguistic appropriateness, etc.), self-reflection and self-analysis, community of practice engagement, and continued professional development.

Module 6: Translation in Specialized Domains
Translation exercises with different text types from a variety of contexts including legal, academia materials, education, healthcare, business, poetry, public service announcements, theater, K-12, discussion of translation works; relevant vocabulary; alternative strategies; issues related to craft, context, and practice of translation.

Module 7: Technological Tools for Translation
The use of technology in translation practice including: dictionaries/glossaries, socio-culturally appropriate resources to inform translations, computer tools, recording/editing/video production, proofing tools, video subtitling; storage and maintenance of source and target materials.

Module 8: Internship: Observation and Translation in Practice
Students will engage in real-world translation projects to make resources accessible and expand what translators do and put into practice that students have learned in class.

Module 9: Capstone Project and Portfolio
Students will translate a text in their area of expertise under the supervision of area, translation, and language specialists