डॉ. बी. आर. अम्बेडकर विश्वविद्यालय दिल्ली 
| Course Type | Course Code | No. Of Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline Core | SCC2CW107 | 4 |
Course coordinator and team: SCCE Faculty
1. How does the course link with the vision of AUD?
This course aligns with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi’s emphasis on interdisciplinarity, linguistic diversity, and inclusive knowledge practices. By focusing on translation and comparative reading across Indian languages, it foregrounds the plurality of literary traditions and encourages students to engage with texts beyond linguistic boundaries. It promotes critical awareness of how meaning shifts across languages and contexts, supporting AUD’s commitment to culturally grounded and reflective learning.
2. How does the course link with the specific program (s) where it is being offered?
This course is designed for postgraduate students in Creative Writing, Literature, and related disciplines. It develops skills in close reading, translation, and comparative analysis while encouraging students to think about language, form, and interpretation. It complements creative writing practice by deepening students’ engagement with multilingual texts and narrative strategies.
3. Does the course connect to, build on, or overlap with any other courses offered in AUD?
Yes. This course builds on foundational courses in literary studies and creative writing by extending reading practices into multilingual and comparative frameworks. It complements courses in Indian literature, translation studies, and cultural studies while maintaining a distinct focus on practice-based translation and comparative interpretation.
4. Specific requirements on the part of students who can be admitted to this course:
(Pre-requisites; prior knowledge level; any others – please specify): None.
None. According to the structure of the two-year postgraduate program, this course is designed for first-year students enrolled in the Creative Writing programme. It is a compulsory course and must be taken as a core requirement.
5. No. of students to be admitted
(with justification if lower than the usual cohort size is proposed): 25
6. Course scheduling
(semester; semester-long/half-semester course; workshop mode; seminar mode; any other – please specify): semester
7. Course Details:
a. Summary:
This course introduces students to translation and comparative reading within Indian literary traditions. It focuses on how texts move across languages and how meaning, form, and cultural context shift in the process. The course is structured around key aspects of translation and comparison, language, context, form, and readership. Students engage with texts in translation, examine multiple versions where possible, and practice translation as a creative and interpretive activity. The course emphasizes close reading, language awareness, and creative engagement, helping students understand literature as a dynamic exchange across linguistic and cultural contexts.
Objectives: The course aims to: To introduce translation as a literary and creative practice; To develop comparative reading skills across Indian languages; To examine how meaning changes across contexts and translations; To build sensitivity to linguistic and cultural differences; To encourage reflective and creative engagement with texts
Expected Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course, it is expected that the student will have:
- Understand key aspects of translation in Indian literature
- Compare texts across languages and versions
- Produce translation and reflective writing exercises
- Demonstrate awareness of language and context in interpretation
- Apply comparative reading strategies
Module I:
Language and Meaning (Week 1- 2)
Description
This module focuses on how meaning is shaped by language. Students examine how idioms, metaphors, and culturally specific expressions are handled in translation, and how meaning shifts across linguistic contexts.
Readings :-
Primary Texts
Chitre, Dilip, translator. Says Tuka: Selected Poems of Tukaram . Penguin Classics, 1991.
Critical/Contextual
Bassnett, Susan. Translation Studies . Routledge, 2014.
Devy, G. N. Indian Literary Criticism: Theory and Interpretation . Orient Blackswan, 2002.
Module-II
Context and Cultural Setting (Week-3-5)
Description
This module examines how regional and cultural contexts shape literary texts and their translations. Students explore how setting, social references, and cultural details are adapted or retained across languages.
Readings :-
Primary Texts
Chemmeen. Translated by Narayana Menon, Harper Perennial, 2011.
Critical/Contextual
Das, Sisir Kumar. A History of Indian Literature: 1800–1910 . Sahitya Akademi, 1991.
Mukherjee, Meenakshi. The Perishable Empire: Essays on Indian Writing in English . Oxford University Press, 2000.
Module-III
Form and Style in Translation (6-7 Weeks)
Description
This module explores how literary form and style—such as narrative voice, tone, and structure—are conveyed in translation. Students compare stylistic features across texts and reflect on how translation shapes reading experience.
Readings :-
Primary Texts
Tagore, Rabindranath. Selected Short Stories . Translated by William Radice, Penguin Classics, 2005.
Critical/Contextual
The Art of Fiction. Penguin Books, 1994.
Module-IV
Audience and Reception (8-10 Weeks)
Description
This module focuses on how translations are shaped by intended audiences. Students examine how texts are adapted for different readerships and how interpretation changes across linguistic and cultural contexts.
Readings :-
Primary Texts
Basheer, Vaikom Muhammad. Pathumma’s Goat and Other Stories . DC Books, 2009.
Karnad, Girish. Nagamandala . Oxford University Press, 1993.
Sircar, Badal. Evam Indrajit . Seagull Books, 1976.
Critical/Contextual
Tharu, Susie, and K. Lalita, editors. Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present . Vol. 2, Oxford University Press, 1993.
Mehrotra, Arvind Krishna, editor. The Oxford India Anthology of Twelve Modern Indian Poets . Oxford University Press, 1992.
Module-V
Translation as Creative and Pedagogical Practice (11-13 Weeks)
Description
This module brings together the ideas explored in the course by focusing on translation as both a creative practice and a classroom tool. Students reflect on the process of translation as an act of interpretation and rewriting, and consider how it can be used in teaching to engage with linguistic diversity. The module encourages hands-on translation work, peer review, and adaptation of texts for different audiences and classroom contexts.
Readings :-
Primary Texts
Joothan . Translated by Arun Prabha Mukherjee, Columbia University Press, 2003.
Critical/Contextual
Lefevere, Andre. Translation, Rewriting, and the Manipulation of Literary Fame . Routledge, 1992.
Why Translation Matters. Yale University Press, 2010.
Assessment
|
First Mid Sem |
Analytical Essay |
30% |
|
Second Mid Sem |
Presentation/ Field Work |
20% |
|
End Sem 50% |
Creative Project |
50% |
Pedagogy:
Instructional strategies:
- Theoretical grounding in narratology
- Historical progression across modules
- Critical analysis-based discussions
- Practice-led workshops