FREN3770
Module Reading List

This list is thematic and thus some texts will appear in more than one list.

Further guidance will be given in the module handbook.

**Armstrong, N. Translation, linguistics, culture : a French-English handbook.

Introductory reading

Crystal, D. Introducing linguistics

Culler, J. Saussure

Fromkin, V. & Rodman, R. Introduction to Language [5th edition]

Hartley, A. Linguistics for language learners

Lyons, J. (a) Language and linguistics : an introduction

Lyons, J. (b) Introduction to theoretical linguistics

Pinker, S. The language instinct

Yule, G. The Study of Language

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Audience design and text types

Bell, A The language of news media. Use the index.

Halliday, M. A. K. Language as social semiotic : the social interpretation of language and meaning. Thorough treatment of text types.

Hartley, A. Linguistics for language learners. Contains a summary of the notion of text types.

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Lexical semantics; or how words combine to produce meaning

Cruse, D. A. Lexical semantics

Désirat, C. and T. Hordé La langue française au 20e siècle

Germain, Claude. La sémantique fonctionnelle

Hartley, A. Linguistics for language learners

Leech G. Semantics

Palmer, F. R. Semantics

Picoche, J. Structures sémantiques du lexique français

Ullman, S. Précis de sémantique française.

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Books that explicitly contrast French and English lexical structure

Astington, Eric Equivalences : translation difficulties and devices, French-English, English-French Good thematic discussions of translation procedures. Out of print and none in the libraries; copies available from me.

Batchelor, R. E. and M.H.Offord Using French: a guide to contemporary usage 3rd edition. Sections on false friends and near-synonyms are good.

Batchelor, R. E. and M.H.Offord Using French synonyms

Hervey, S and I Higgins Thinking French translation : a course in translation method : French to English Some very good examples. Structure of the book is not all that clear. Mostly literary translation.

Lodge, R A et al Exploring the French language, chapter 4.

Vinay, J.-P. and J. Darbelnet Stylistique comparée du français et de l’anglais [English version Comparative stylistics of French and English]

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Sapir-Whorf

Pinker, S The language instinct. Very readable; uses non-technical language. Takes apart the ‘strong’ version of Sapir-Whorf in a rather devastating way. Chapter on words is also useful.

Slobin, D Psycholinguistics More of a linguistics textbook, but uses some very interesting examples.

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Books on translation theory generally

Armstrong, N. Translation, linguistics, culture : a French-English handbook.

Baker, M. In other words : a coursebook on translation Good clear structure; looks at each linguistic level in turn, including the text level. Not a great deal about French.

Catford, J. C. A linguistic theory of translation : an essay in applied linguistics Looking a bit old-fashioned now, but some good things in it.

Fawcett, P. Translation and language : linguistic theories explained. Good on the linguistic theory behind translation. Useful for writing commentaries. Not a lot about French.

Newmark, P. A textbook of translation

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Books on false friends

Koessler and Derocquiny Les faux amis : ou, Les trahisons du vocabulaire anglais (conseils aux traducteurs) Published 1926, so looking a bit quaint now.

Kirk-Greene 1981 French false friends Good, medium-sized treatment. 1 copy in the Libraries, copies also available from me.

Roey, Granger and Swallow Dictionnaire des/Dictionary of faux amis, français-anglais, English-French The most comprehensive.

Thody, P and Evans, H Faux amis & key words : a dictionary-guide to French language, culture and society through lookalikes and confusables. Very readable; many examples, often accompanied by a discussion of the cultural context behind the particular problem. Good book list in the back.

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For translation commentaries

Adab, B J Annotated texts for translation : French-English

Adab, B J Annotated texts for translation : English-French

Sewell, Penelope 2002 Translation commentary : the art revisited : a study of French texts. Dublin: Philomel.

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Other books on translation

Armstrong, N. and F. Federici (2006) Translating voices, translating regions. Rome: Aracne.

Baker, M. (ed.), with Malmkjær, K. (1997). Routledge encyclopedia of translation studies. London: Routledge.

Bassnett, S. and Lefevere, A. (1998) Constructing cultures : essays on literary translation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Chesterman, A. (ed.) (1989) Readings in translation theory. Helsinki: Oy Finna Lectura Ab.

Chesterman, A. and Wagner, E. (2002)Can theory help translators? : a dialogue between the ivory tower and the wordface. Manchester: St. Jerome.

Durieux, C. (1988) Fondement didactique de la traduction technique. Paris: Didier Erudition

Fawcett, P. (1997) Translation and language : linguistic theories explained. Manchester: St. Jerome.

Gentzler, E. (1993) Contemporary Translation Theories. London: Routledge

Lefevere, A. (1977) Translating literature : the German tradition from Luther to Rosenzweig. Assen and Amsterdam: Van Gorcum.

Lefevere, A. (ed.) (1992) Translation, History and Culture. London: Routledge

Maillot, J. (1981) La traduction scientifique et technique. Paris: Technique et Documentation

Munday, J. (2001) Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and applications. London: Routledge

Newmark, P. (1981) Approaches to Translation. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Newmark, P. (1993) Paragraphs on translation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Newmark, P. (1998) More paragraphs on translation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Nida, E. (1964) Toward a science of translating : with special reference to principles and procedures involved in Bible translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill.

Nord, C. (1997) Translating as a purposeful activity : functionalist approaches explained. Manchester: St. Jerome.

Picken, C. (1989) The Translator's handbook (second edition). London: Aslib.

Schäffner, C. and Kelly-Holmes, H. (eds) (1995) Cultural functions of translation. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Shuttleworth, M and Cowie, M. (1997) Dictionary of translation studies. Manchester: St. Jerome.

Trosborg, A. (ed.) (1997) Text typology and translation. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: Benjamins.

Wagner, E., Bech, S. and Martínez, J. M. (2001) Translating for the European Union institutions. Manchester: St. Jerome.

Wilss, W. (1996) Knowledge and skills in translator behavior. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: Benjamins.

This list was last updated on 25/08/2010

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