Practical 8: Restaurant Reviews

8 Abril 2025, 11:00 • Rui Vitorino Azevedo

I began the class by introducing two key translation concepts popularized by Lawrence Venuti: domestication and foreignization. We then examined how these concepts were originally formulated by Friedrich Schleiermacher in his influential 1813 lecture "On the Different Methods of Translating."

Next, we turned to Practical 8, in which students are asked to translate a set of promotional restaurant reviews for three upscale New York City restaurants. The source text is aimed at a culturally informed audience, even though they may not be familiar with all the culinary references. I also asked students to maintain an evocative, elegant, and slightly playful tone.

Alongside the translation, students must submit a brief commentary reflecting on their translation strategies. This should address challenges related to culturally specific references, metaphorical or playful language, decisions involving domestication versus foreignization (as discussed in class), any potential losses and compensation strategies, and how the translation might be received by a Portuguese-speaking audience unfamiliar with New York’s dining culture.

We were able to translate one of the reviews together in class, and the remaining two were assigned as homework.

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Test 1 — Continuous Assessment: Translation, Text Analysis, and Strategy Justification

4 Abril 2025, 15:30 • Rui Vitorino Azevedo

Students completed the first test for continuous assessment. This involved translating an excerpt from a short story, conducting a brief text analysis, and writing a commentary on both general and specific translation strategies—justifying their choices in response to the challenges presented by the text.

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Test 1 — Continuous Assessment: Translation, Text Analysis, and Strategy Justification

4 Abril 2025, 11:00 • Rui Vitorino Azevedo

Students completed the first test for continuous assessment. This involved translating an excerpt from a short story, conducting a brief text analysis, and writing a commentary on both general and specific translation strategies—justifying their choices in response to the challenges presented by the text.

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Analyzing Students’ Translations of the Boston Guide

1 Abril 2025, 15:30 • Rui Vitorino Azevedo

We reviewed students’ translations of the Boston guide, focusing on maintaining the original tone and style—informal, conversational, and persuasive. We assessed whether each student’s overall strategy aligned with these goals and discussed possible adaptations for improvement. We also explored how students dealt with cultural specificities, discussing the specific strategies they were asked to use and considering alternative translation possibilities.

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Analyzing Students’ Translations of the Boston Guide

1 Abril 2025, 11:00 • Rui Vitorino Azevedo

We reviewed students’ translations of the Boston guide, focusing on maintaining the original tone and style—informal, conversational, and persuasive. We assessed whether each student’s overall strategy aligned with these goals and discussed possible adaptations for improvement. We also explored how students dealt with cultural specificities, discussing the specific strategies they were asked to use and considering alternative translation possibilities.

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