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Translation B-A 1 (German-Spanish)

Code: 101345
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Translation and Interpreting OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Ruth Leon Pinilla
Email :
ruth.leon@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

At the beginning of the course students should be able to:

  • Show that they know and understand the basic methodological principles governing translation, its professional aspects, basic instrumentals, and the main contrastive problems encountered in this linguistic combination.
  • Apply this knowledge to solving basic translation problems in a variety of non-specialised texts written in standard language.

Note for exchange students. Students taking this course should have Upper Intermediate / Advanced language skills in the language combination. See instructor for more specific details concerning eligibility.

Objectives

The objective of the course is to introduce students to solving translation problems in different types of non-specialised texts (narrative, descriptive, conceptual, argumentative and instructive) written in standard language.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

- Demonstrate that they know and understand the basic methodological principles governing Translation, its basic professional and instrumental aspects and the main contrastive problems of the language combination.

- Apply this knowledge in order to solve basic translation problems in different types of nonspecialised texts written in standard language.

Learning outcomes

  1. Implementing strategies in order to produce written texts of different fields and with specific communicative purposes: Implementing strategies in order to produce different kinds of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  2. Solving interferences between the working languages: Solving interferences between the working languages.
  3. Applying lexical, morphosyntactic, textual, rhetorical and linguistic variation related knowledge: Applying graphical, lexical, morphosyntactic and textual basic knowledge.
  4. Implementing strategies in order to understand written texts from different fields: Implementing strategies in order to comprehend different kinds of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  5. Students must demonstrate they know the technological resources needed to translate: Students must demonstrate they know the basic technological resources needed to edit different types of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  6. Formulating the appropriate informative needs in order to translate: Formulating the appropriate informational needs in order to translate different types of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  7. Applying the documentation resources in order to solve translation problems: Applying the documentation resources in order to translate different types of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  8. Identifying the specific translation problems of non-specialised texts: Identifying the basic translation problems of different types of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  9. Using the appropriate strategies and techniques in order to solve translation problems: Using the fundamental strategies and techniques in order to solve basic translation problems of different types of non-specialised written texts in standard dialect.
  10. Finding the most appropriate translation solution in each case: Finding the most appropriate translation solution in each case.

Contents

  • Solving basic translation problems in non-specialised narrative, descriptive, expository, argumentative, instructive texts in standard language.
  • Use of technological and documentation tools for the translation of different types of non-specialised texts in standard language: monolingual dictionaries and general bilingual dictionaries. Grammars. Style manuals. General search engines. Basic technological tools for optimising text editing and proofreading. Basic management of folders and files. Dictionaries of analogies, of synonyms and antonyms, of collocations, of difficulties, etc. Encyclopaedias. Parallel texts. Use of general corpora. Forums and general blogs. Distribution lists.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Preparation of translations and exercices 40 1.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Review of translations 20 0.8
Problem solving 20 0.8 2
Carrying out translation tasks 40 1.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Documentation research 20 0.8
  • Learning based on problems and exercises.
  • Approach based on translation tasks.
  • The subject’s content will be worked on in a practical manner.
Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Translation excercise 35% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Draft translations 30% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10
Group Translation Project 35% 4 0.16 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

At the beginning of the course, the evaluation activities and the relevant deadlines will be specified in a document accessible from the virtual campus.

Assessment

Assessment is continuous. Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing various tasks and tests. Tasks and tests deadlines will be indicated in the course schedule on the first day of class. The information on assessment activities and their weighting is a guide. The subject's lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.

Possible assessment activities

  • Real or simulated translation tasks, or tasks related to relevant aspects of translation.
  • Translation projects.
  • Reports/forums on translations or on tasks related to key aspects of translation.
  • Reflective diaries/sheets/reports about the learning process or on the process of preparing translations.
  • Student portfolio.
  • Oral presentation or defence of assignments.
  • Attendance at lectures or activities related to translation or German culture.
  • Reports on readings relevant to the content of the subject.
  • Theoretical test on translation topics studied throughout the course.
  • Critical analysis and comparison of different translations of the same text.

Rules for the presentation of assessment activities

  • All assessment activities must specify the name and surname(s) of the author(s), the name of the lecturer, the subject and the academic year.
  • The assessment activities and the student's portfolio must be submitted within the established deadlines in order to be assessed.
  • Unless otherwise specified, assessment activities must be submitted in editable text format (DOC or ODT).
  • Unless otherwise specified, the use of machine translation or artificial intelligence software is not allowed.

Review

When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews in agreement with the lecturer.

Missed/failed assessment activities

Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the subject's final mark and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5.

The lecturer will inform students of the procedure involved, in writing, when publishing final marks prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for.

Classification as "not assessable"

In the event of the assessment activities a student has performed accounting for just 25% or less of the subject's final mark, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript.

Misconduct in assessment activities

Any irregularity committed during an assessment (academic fraud, plagiarism, or misuse of AI, unless expressly authorized in the course syllabus) that could lead to a significant change in the grade will result in a grade of 0 for that assessment. If multiple irregularities occur during assessments for the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0. Furthermore, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any individual who commits any of these irregularities.

Single assessment

This subject may be assessed under the single assessment system in accordance with the terms established in the academic regulations of the UAB and the assessment criteria of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.

Students must make an online request within the period established by the faculty and send a copy to the lecturer responsible for the subject, for the record.

Single assessment will be carried out in person on one day during week 16 or 17 of the semester. The Academic Management Office will publish the exact date and time on the faculty website.

On the day of the single assessment, teaching staff will ask the student for identification, which should be presented as a valid identification document with a recent photograph (student card, DNI/NIE or passport).

Single assessment activities

Single assessment will include a minimum of three assessment activities of different types, as stated in the assessment guidelines.

Grade revision and retake procedures for the subject are the same as those for continual assessment. See the section above in this Study Guide.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage of the assessment activities. Any work that includes AI-generated content will be considered a breach of academic integrity and will be graded a 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated.

Bibliography

At the beginning of the course, students will have an extended bibliography available on the Virtual Campus.

IMPORTANT: the Servei de biblioteques UAB has a large digital collection: https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/guibib/224929/bibrecdigitals.pdf

Online Dictionaries and Glossaries

Buscador de palabras https://iedra.es/

Extranjerismos https://www.fundeu.es/dudas/tipo-de-duda/traduccion/

Fundeu https://www.fundeu.es/

RAE,Lengua española: https://dle.rae.es/

RAE, Americanismos: https://lema.rae.es/damer/

RAE, Panhispanico de dudas: https://www.rae.es/dpd/

Sinónimos y antónimos https://www.buscapalabra.com/sinonimos-y-antonimos.html / https://www.wordreference.com/sinonimos/

Topónimos y gentilicios https://www.fundeu.es/dudas/tipo-de-duda/toponimos-y-gentilicios-lexico-2/

Reference sources

Elena García, P. (1990). Aspectos teóricos y prácticos de la traducción (alemán-español). Salamanca: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca.

Hönig, H. G.; Kußmaul, P. (1991). Strategie der Übersetzung. Ein Lehr- und Arbeitsbuch. Tübingen: Gunter Narr.

Snell-Hornby, M.; Hönig; H. G.; Kußmaul, P.; Schmitt, P. A. (eds.). (1998) Handbuch Translation. Tübingen: Stauffenburg.

German dictionaries

Agricola, E.(ed.) (1988). Wörter und Wendungen: Wörterbuch zum deutschen Sprachgebrauch. Leipzig: Enzyklopädie.

Bulitta, E.; Bulitta, H. (2007). Wörterbuch der Synonyme und Antonyme. 4. Auf. Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Verlag.

Deutsches Universalwörterbuch.(2006). 6., überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Mannheim: Dudenverlag.

Dückert, J.; Kempcke, G. (1989). Wörterbuch der Sprachschwierigkeiten. Leipzig: Bibliographisches Institut.

DUDEN - http://www.duden.de

Spanish dictionaries

AA VV (2007). Diccionario de sinónimos y antónimos. Madrid: Espasa.

Casares, J. (1979). Diccionario ideológico de la lengua española. 2ª ed. puesta al día. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili.

Clave. Diccionario de uso del español actual. (2002). Madrid: Ediciones SM. 5ª ed., aum. y act. con (CD-ROM).

Diccionario panhispánico de dudas (2005). Madrid: Santillana.

Fundación del Español Urgente (Fundeu) (2005). Manual de español urgente. 16. edición. Madrid: Cátedra.

Gómez Torrego, L. (2006). Hablar y escribir correctamente:gramática normativa del español actual. 2 v. 2a ed. Madrid: Arco/Libros.

Martínez de Sousa, J. (2004). Ortografía y ortotipografía del español actual. Gijón: Trea.

Martínez de Sousa, J. (2006). Diccionario de usos y dudas del español actual. 2ª ed. Barcelona: Vox-Biblograf. (BH consulta sala)

Martínez de Sousa, J. (2007). Manual de estilo de la lengua española. MELE 3. Gijón: Trea.

Martínez de Sousa, J. (2007). Diccionario de uso de las mayúsculas y minúsculas. Gijón: Trea.

Moliner, M. (2007). Diccionario de uso del español.3ª ed. Madrid: Gredos.

Rodríguez González, Félix (dir.) (1997). Nuevo diccionario de anglicismos. Madrid: Editorial Gredos.

Seco, M. (2003). Diccionario de dudas y dificultades de la lengua española. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe (11ª ed).

Bilingual dictionaries

Beinhauer, W. (1978). Stilistisch-phraseologisches Wörterbuch Deutsch-Spanisch. München: Max Hueber.

PONS - http://www.pons.eu

Pons Grosswörterbuch für Experten und Universität. Spanisch-Deutsch. Deutsch-Spanisch. (2001). Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig: Klett.

Slabý, R.J.; Grossmann, R. ; Illig, C. (1999). Diccionario de las lenguas española y alemana, Tomo II: Alemán-Español. 5ª edición revisada y ampliada. Barcelona: Herder.

Software

Campus Virtual (CV).

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed