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ITB2: Translation from Italian and Oral B

This paper is available for the academic year 2023-24.

 

Translation from Italian into English, and an oral examination. These two elements count together as one paper. 

Aims and objectives: 

The purpose of the fortnightly translation class is to develop your awareness and comprehension of a variety of different registers and styles of written Italian (literary, academic, journalistic, descriptive, discursive, etc.), to increase the range of your vocabulary, and to enhance your ability to produce a good, stylistically appropriate English translation.

Oral supervisions aim to develop your oral and general language expression skills in Italian, working with a native speaker in small groups of 2-4 students.

Course materials: 

There is no set course book for this paper.  Passages for translation will be drawn from a wide range of different styles and registers. 

For the ITB2 Moodle site, please see here. The password can be collected from the paper coordinator.

Teaching and learning: 

The translation class is held fortnightly in the Michaelmas, Lent and Easter Terms. Oral supervisions are usually held weekly.

Assessment: 

Translation: A two-hour written examination paper consisting of three passages in Italian, two of which are to be translated into English. The written exam counts for 66% of the total marks for the paper. The written language paper is an in-person timed assessment.

Candidates will translate into English two texts from a choice of three. Commentaries will no longer be required.

For candidates taking this examination in college or in a venue other than the examination hall and using a word processor: access to the web and the use of machine translators or any other resources including auto correct are strictly not permitted.

Oral B

The test is intended to assess the accuracy, fluency, and range of your spoken Italian. The examination takes as its starting point a reading passage, which you will be given fifteen minutes to study beforehand. You will first be asked to read aloud a short section of this passage, and then to engage in a conversation of about 10 minutes concerning the issues raised in the passage as a whole. The oral counts for 33% of the total marks.

Course Contacts: 
Dott. Claudia Domenici
Dr Ruth Chester