LN936 Literary Translation: Creative and Critical Practice
Module description
The emphasis of this module is on literary translation as creative and critical practice. Since the focus is on the process and craft of writing the translation itself, students may translate texts into English from whichever language they choose.
Students will attend multilingual translation workshops on a range of text types within the literary genre, allowing them to develop their practical translation skills in this specialist area. These sessions create the opportunity for students to talk through specific challenges or more general elements of their approach, allowing for a rich exchange of ideas through discussion with peers who may be working with different language combinations. Students will become familiar with the complex processes by which translators can deploy literary techniques, not just reflect the works they are translating, but also to challenge and enrich their own use of the target language.
The workshops are interspersed with seminars that cover a combination of theoretical concepts to inform translation practice (such as translator visibility, creativity and agency) and strategic professional considerations (such as how to pitch to a publisher). Readings from translated literature and Translation Studies will allow students to reflect on their practice.
The module content is enriched and developed further by co-curricular sessions with invited speakers who can reflect on their practice and their experience of working in the literary translation profession.
Principal module aims
The module aims to balance the development of students’ specialist literary translation skills with the enhancement of their critical understanding of the translation process. Its objectives are to:
- Develop students’ literary translation practice through discussion with peers and formative feedback;
- Equip students to reflect critically on their literary translation practice;
- Expand students’ understanding of literary translation as a professional pathway.
Learning outcomes
- Translate a range of literary texts in their chosen language combination, making conscious choices about style and expression in the translated text
- Reflect orally and in writing on their translation work, exploring their choices with support from theoretical concepts, linguistic competence and strategic rationales
- Demonstrate an understanding of the readership and market for literary translation
Outline syllabus for publication
Week 1 Introductory seminar: Translators as creative and critical writers
Week 2 Prose workshop 1 (developing ideas)
Week 3 Prose workshop 2 (refining ideas)
Week 4 Poetry workshop 1 (developing ideas)
Week 5 Poetry workshop 2 (refining ideas)
Week 6 Reading week
Week 7 Who is the reader, and what do they want?
Week 8 Free choice workshop 1 (developing ideas)
Week 9 Free choice workshop 2 (refining ideas)
Week 10 Pitching, publishing and persistence: getting started in literary translation
Indicative reading list
Allen, Esther and Susan Bernofsky, eds (2013) In Translation: Translators on their Work and What it Means
Boase-Beier, Jean et al, eds (2018) The Palgrave Handbook of Literary Translation
Boase-Beier, Jean et al, eds (2014) Literary Translation: Redrawing the Boundaries
France, Peter (2001) The Oxford Guide to Literature in Translation
LN936-15 as of 29th Jun 2026 at 13:34
Lefevere, André (1975) Translating Poetry: Seven Strategies and a Blueprint
Scott, Clive (2012) Literary Translation and the Rediscovery of Reading
Searls, Damion (2024) The Philosophy of Translation
Washbourne, R. Kelly and Ben van Wyke, eds (2019) The Routledge Handbook of Literary Translation Wright, Chantal (2016) Literary Translation