Undergraduate Course: Advanced Chinese-English Translation and Interpreting (ASST10165)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is designed for students who already possess substantial knowledge of Chinese at an advanced level. It aims to further develop students' competence in translation and interpreting by focusing on both linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness. Through a structured progression from foundational principles to advanced techniques, this course equips students with essential skills, strategies, and critical awareness to produce high-quality translations, thereby strengthening their overall proficiency in Chinese.
This course integrates translation and interpreting theory with real-world practice, demonstrating how conceptual understanding can inform effective decision-making. It also introduces students to online and AI-assisted translation tools through guided activities comparing AI-generated and human translation in different contexts. Students will critically evaluate their strengths and limitations and discuss ethical issues. This will support the development of AI literacy and encourage informed and ethical use of AI in translation practice. The course considers aspects of professional preparation in relevant to future work in multilingual or cross-cultural settings. |
| Course description |
This course consists of three core teaching activities:
1. Translation into English
2. Translation into Chinese
3. Interpreting
1. Translation into English
This component consists of translating modern Chinese texts into English, working with both traditional and simplified scripts, both with long deadlines and in-time translation. We will explore ways to create clear, idiomatic English translations of Chinese texts in a variety of styles and genres, and will look at strategies for background research and online tools. Although this is primarily a practical course, we will also consider theories that help deal with common translation issues. We will also look at the cultural and social background of the source texts, and how this affects our understanding and how we translate.
2. Translation into Chinese
This component covers a broad range of essential topics, including sentence structuring, clause organisation, omission and addition, register and tone, and the use of passive voice. Students engage with real-world translation scenarios through practical examples drawn from academic, literary, legal and Wikipedia texts. Cultural concepts such as expressive nuance are explored, helping students handle culturally or politically specific content, idioms, and humour with accuracy and sensitivity. The component also introduces AI-assisted translation tools, offering critical insights into their benefits, limitations and ethical considerations.
3. Interpreting
This component introduces students to the practice of interpreting, with a focus on developing core interpreting skills and professional awareness. Through a range of interpreting scenarios, such as medical, legal, and financial settings, students are engaged in practical interpreting activities situated in different communicative contexts. This component introduces students to the role and ethics of the interpreter and familiarises them with decision-making under time pressure, the handling of cultural references in real-time interpreting, and the use of digital tools to support interpreting preparation. Students will also develop core interpreting strategies, including chunking, rephrasing, and compression, alongside basic note-taking skills.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Chinese Study Abroad (ASST10167)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Pre-requisites: students must have passed the course of ASST10167 Chinese Study Abroad, or pass the re-entry test with a score over 40.
This is a year-long course available to students from year 3 or 4 of the undergraduate level enrolled in Chinese degree programmes (joint, single or combined honours), as well as to students from other disciplines taking it as an outside course elective, and to one-year visiting students at the level 10.
This course is not available to native speakers of Mandarin Chinese.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply integrated knowledge of theories, principles and techniques and produce polished Chinese translation and interpretation at advanced Chinese level.
- Demonstrate a good knowledge of Chinese grammatical, idiomatic and cultural issues necessary for engaging effectively with complex texts written in both simplified and traditional characters
- Apply core interpreting strategies to engage with interpreting tasks in different communicative contexts, and demonstrate professional awareness of the interpreter's role and ethical responsibilities.
- Demonstrate critical awareness of the cultural and social contexts reflected in contemporary Chinese texts, and evaluate how these factors shape translation and interpretation strategies.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- The ability to extend advanced Chinese language competence to the field of translation and interpreting, applying skills in both written and spoken contexts.
- The ability to communicate effectively across Chinese and English, using translation and interpreting strategies to adapt language and style for diverse audiences and purposes, while contributing positively, ethically and respectfully in intercultural contexts.
- The ability to identify and analyse the source texts, demonstrating some originality and creativity in formulating, evaluating and applying theoretically informed solutions.
- The ability to take managerial responsibility for their own learning and professional development, addressing new challenges and making effective use of research, resources, and reflective practice. |
| Keywords | Advanced Chinese Language,Translation into English,Translation into Chinese,Interpreting |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Esther Tyldesley
Tel: (0131 6)50 4225
Email: esther.tyldesley@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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