Sumários

Newmark’s Translation Methods

24 Fevereiro 2026, 15:30 Rui Vitorino Azevedo

This session introduced Peter Newmark’s translation methods, moving through definitions, key features, and practical contexts in which each method might be applied, with examples drawn from English-to-Portuguese translation. To ground the discussion, students were presented with lines from three Shakespearean plays and asked to translate each using both the semantic and communicative translation methods, exploring how the two approaches yield different results depending on the translator’s priorities.

Practical 2 was then introduced, requiring students to translate Simon Rich’s short story “Animals” into Portuguese while applying Newmark’s methods. After reading through portions of the story together as a class, students divided into groups to collaborate on developing a general translation strategy. The remainder of the session was devoted to group work, giving students the opportunity to begin their translations.

 


Newmark’s Translation Methods

24 Fevereiro 2026, 14:00 Rui Vitorino Azevedo

This session introduced Peter Newmark’s translation methods, moving through definitions, key features, and practical contexts in which each method might be applied, with examples drawn from English-to-Portuguese translation. To ground the discussion, students were presented with lines from three Shakespearean plays and asked to translate each using both the semantic and communicative translation methods, exploring how the two approaches yield different results depending on the translator’s priorities.

Practical 2 was then introduced, requiring students to translate Simon Rich’s short story “Animals” into Portuguese while applying Newmark’s methods. After reading through portions of the story together as a class, students divided into groups to collaborate on developing a general translation strategy. The remainder of the session was devoted to group work, giving students the opportunity to begin their translations.


Review of Practical 1: Intralingual Translation

20 Fevereiro 2026, 15:30 Rui Vitorino Azevedo

This session was dedicated to reviewing Practical 1, which focused on intralingual translation — the process of rewriting a text within the same language, in this case moving from Early Modern English (the 1611 King James Bible) into contemporary English. Students had chosen one of the following passages:

  • Source Text 1 – Genesis 11:1–9 (The Tower of Babel)
  • Source Text 2 – Genesis 3:1–10 (The Serpent and the Fall)

The review was structured around the assignment’s three parts. First, the class revisited the source text analysis, discussing how students identified key challenges such as archaic vocabulary, obsolete verb forms, biblical register, cultural references, and narrative style, as well as how Early Modern English differs from contemporary English and how diverging interpretations can shape adaptation choices.

Next, students’ intralingual translations were examined, with attention to which of the three strategies had been applied — gist translation (conveying overall meaning loosely), exegetic translation (expanding and explaining the text), or faithful translation (staying close to the original’s meaning and tone) — and how effectively the chosen strategy aligned with the stated target audience.

Finally, the class explored various approaches to audience-specific adaptation, comparing alternatives and discussing how different strategic choices produce notably different results even when working from the same source text.


Review of Practical 1: Intralingual Translation

20 Fevereiro 2026, 14:00 Rui Vitorino Azevedo

This session was dedicated to reviewing Practical 1, which focused on intralingual translation — the process of rewriting a text within the same language, in this case moving from Early Modern English (the 1611 King James Bible) into contemporary English. Students had chosen one of the following passages:

  • Source Text 1 – Genesis 11:1–9 (The Tower of Babel)
  • Source Text 2 – Genesis 3:1–10 (The Serpent and the Fall)

The review was structured around the assignment’s three parts. First, the class revisited the source text analysis, discussing how students identified key challenges such as archaic vocabulary, obsolete verb forms, biblical register, cultural references, and narrative style, as well as how Early Modern English differs from contemporary English and how diverging interpretations can shape adaptation choices.

Next, students’ intralingual translations were examined, with attention to which of the three strategies had been applied — gist translation (conveying overall meaning loosely), exegetic translation (expanding and explaining the text), or faithful translation (staying close to the original’s meaning and tone) — and how effectively the chosen strategy aligned with the stated target audience.

Finally, the class explored various approaches to audience-specific adaptation, comparing alternatives and discussing how different strategic choices produce notably different results even when working from the same source text.


Foundations of Translation

13 Fevereiro 2026, 15:30 Rui Vitorino Azevedo

This session introduced the foundations of translation practice. The class opened with a discussion of personal experiences with translation and the role of the translator, emphasizing two core types of decisions: strategic decisions (analyzing the source text, target audience, genre, and purpose) and detailed decisions (grammar, word choice, and cultural context). Translation was framed as an iterative process between the source text (ST) and target text (TT), and key terminology — SL/TL (languages) and ST/TT (texts) — was introduced.

Roman Jakobson’s three types of translation were also covered: interlingual, intralingual, and intersemiotic. Particular attention was given to intralingual translation and its three forms: gist, exegetic, and faithful reproduction.

Students then worked in pairs on Practical 1, choosing one of two source texts — Genesis 11:1–9 or Genesis 3:1–10 — to analyze and adapt. The assignment is to be submitted via Moodle.