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 Syllabus: Političke i pravne institucije u Hrvatskoj i anglofonim zemljama

Course title: Political and Legal Institutions in Croatia and English Speaking Countries

Instructor: Snježana Veselica Majhut

ECTS credits: 5

Status: mandatory for students enrolled in the translation track of the graduate program in English as a single major; elective for students enrolled in the translation track of the graduate program in English in combination with another major

Semester: 8th

Enrollment requirements: The students must pass the exam in Translation Workshop (7^th semester) prior to enrolling in this course.

Course description:

The aim of the course is to give a basic understanding and knowledge of political, legal and educational institutions in Croatian and English-speaking societies (the focus is placed on the UK and US), necessary for translators. The students will be made familiar with the key concepts of the institutional organization of the above mentioned societies and further develop translation skills acquired in the Translation Workshop course. The course will focus on highlighting the terminology and cultural problems that characterize translation in the environment of government and non-governmental organizations, public administration, educational institutions.

The course is divided into three blocks, each of them devoted to a particular topic: 1) political institutions and government, 2) legal institutions and 3) educational institutions. The format of the course is lectures and exercises.

Translation assignments cover a wide variety of text types and genres, such as, political speeches, administrative reports, and legal documents. In this one semester schedule, students will get a general overview of the different topics pertinent to the institutional aspects of these societies, with the possibility of pursuing some of the subjects in greater depth through further specialized courses.

The coursework is organized around projects that the students do in groups, partly in the virtual environment, on http://omega.ffzg.hr/ (Moodle). The students are encouraged to use printed and electronic resources, build corpora and terminology glossaries, revise their own and each other’s translations, manage translation projects, cooperate with subject-matter experts and clients, and so on. Guest speakers will be invited to share their professional experience.

Objectives: By the end of the course the students should show a good understanding of the subject matter (both in Croatian and English) of texts similar to those translated in the course, the ability to identify translation problems, use appropriate translation strategies and  terminology.

Course requirements: Students get their final grade on the basis of their “portfolio” (collection of translations done during the course, both at home and in class, individually and in groups), three mid-term quizzes and three translation assignments done in class.

Week by week schedule:

Reading:

On the institutional organization of Croatia, the US and UK:

Bartlett, W. Croatia. Between Europe and the Balkans London / New

York: Routledge

Bičanić, I. – Franičević, V.: Understanding Reform: The Case of Croatia, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies http://www.wiiw.at/balkan/ ; Gligorov, V. ur. : Understanding Reform in South East Europe, WIIW, Beč

Goldstein, I. Croatia. A History London: Hurst and co.

Katan, D. (1999) Translating Cultures – An Introduction for Translators, Interpreters and

Mediator Manchester, UK: St Jerome Publishing.

Nord Christiane (1997) Translating as a Purposeful Activity – Functionalist Approaches

Explained. Manchester, UK: St Jerome Publishing. (selected chapters)

Patterson, S. C. A More Perfect Union: Introduction to American Government, Brooks/Cole

Ramsden, J. (ed.) The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century British Politics

Whitaker's Almanack, London:A&C Black

Wilson, J. Q. American Government: Institutions and Policies

On translation:

Alcaraz E., and Hughes B. (2001) Legal Translation Explained Manchaster, UK: St Jerome

Publishing.

American Translators Association (2001) Translating and Interpreting in the Federal

Government, compiled by Ted Crump. Alexandria, VA: American Translators

Association.

Asensio, Robert Mayoral. Translating Official Documents. St. Jerome Publishing

Katan, D. (1999) Translating Cultures – An Introduction for Translators, Interpreters and

Mediator Manchester, UK: St Jerome Publishing.

Nord Christiane (1997) Translating as a Purposeful Activity – Functionalist Approaches

Explained. Manchester, UK: St Jerome Publishing. (selected chapters)

Schaffner, C. and Wiesemann U.: Annotated Texts for Translation Multilingual Matters (selected chapters)

Encyclopaedic dictionaries and lexicons, such as:

The New Oxford Dictionary of English, or

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged

Anić, V. et al. Hrvatski enciklopedijski rječnik. Zagreb: Novi liber

The Harper Collins Dictionary of American Government and Politics Harper Collins

Oakland, J. (ed.) A Dictionary of British Institutions – Student’s Guide London: Routledge

Specialized dictionaries, such as:

Black’s Law Dictionary West Publishing Co.

Ivir, V. Hrvatsko-engleski poslovno-upravni rječnik. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.

Oxford Dictionary of Law

Gačić, M. Hrvatsko-engleski rječnik prava Zagreb: Naklada Ljevak

Obuljen, Sandra: Pravni rječnik englesko-hrvatski i hrvatsko-engleski Sv. Ivan Zelina: Zgombić & Faber Plus

Electronic resources:

- www. hidra.hr

- www. vlada.hr

- www. sabor.hr

- www. direct.gov.uk

- www. official-documents.gov.uk

- www. usa.gov