Breaking Ties: Sarah Aboobacker posts

Some of the students have been asking me about Breaking Ties by Sarah Aboobacker. Here are two of my posts: one, chat session reproduction and, the others pointers on the novel.

http://anilpinto.blogspot.com/2006/02/breaking-ties-pointers.html

http://anilpinto.blogspot.com/2006/02/breaking-ties-sarah-aboobacker-chat.html

Christ College BA (FEP) Functional/Communicative English Syllabus 2007 onwards

Functional English COURSE STRUCTURE Semester SUBJECT CODE SUBJECT TITLE HOURS MARKS CREDITS I FUE 131 Introduction to Mass Communication 4 100 3 FUE 132 Computer and Communication 4 100 3 II FUE 231 Applied Phonetics & Communication Skills 4 100 3 FUE 232 Introduction to Writing Skills 4 100 3 III FUE 331 Writing for the Media - Print 4 100 3 FUE 332 Creative Writing 4 100 3 IV FUE 431 Broadcasting Media – Radio 4 100 3 FUE 432 Basic Photography 4 100 3 V FUE 531 Media laws and Ethics 5 100 4 FUE 532 Films and Television 5 100 4 VI FUE 631 Advertising 5 100 4 FUE 632 Public Relations 5 100 4 Certificate Courses SUB CODE SUBJECT TITLE SEMESTER HOURS CREDIT FUE 101 Phonetics I 2 2 FUE 201 Art and Architectural Criticism and Journalism II 2 2 FUE 301 Public Speaking III 2 2 FUE 401 Visual Culture IV 2 2 FUE 501 Introduction to Film Studies V 2 2

Christ College BA Optional English Syllabus 2007 onwards

Optional English
COURSE STRUCTURE

Semester SUBJECT CODE SUBJECT TITLE HOURS MARKS CREDITS I OEN 131 British Literature: Anglo-Saxon to Early Victorian 5 100 4 II OEN 231 British Literature: Late Victorian to the Present 5 100 4 III OEN 331 American Literature 5 100 4 IV OEN 431 Postcolonial Literature 5 100 4 V OEN 531 Introduction to Literary criticism & Literary Theory 5 100 4 OEN 532 Indian Literatures in Translation 5 100 4 VI OEN 631 World Literatures 5 100 4 OEN 642 a OEN 642 b OEN 642 c Cultural Studies, English language teaching, Articulating woman 5 100 4

CERTIFICATE COURSES

SUB CODE SUBJECT TITLE SEMESTER HOURS CREDIT OEN 101 Cultural Studies I 2 2 OEN 201 Translation Studies II 2 2 OEN 301 Semiotics III 2 2 OEN 401 Philosophy IV 2 2

Translation notes - MKU

I am a little busy. As and when I find time, I will put up notes on the following chapters. If someone wishes type them and send me I shall put them up under their name on my blog.

anil

Types of Translation

Types of Translation

Translation theories were largely formed around Bible translations in the sixteenth century. Etienne Dolet is credited with the first formulation of a theory of translation

Dryden, one of the earliest English translation theorists, classifies translation into three types – metaphrase – word for word, line for line rendering, paraphrase – where in translating sense is given more importance, and imitation where sense matters in translation.

E.g.:

Horaces Ars Poetica trs by Ben Jonson - metaphrase

Virgil’s Aenid trs by Waller – paraphrase

Pindar’s two odes by Abraham Cowley – imitation

In 1789 George Campbell suggest three criteria for good translation

1. There should be just representation of the original
2. The spirit and manner of the original should be conveyed through consistency with the language of the translation
3. The translation should have the quality of an original performance so as to appear natural and easy.

In 1790 Alexander Taylor in The Principles of Translation set up three different principles

1. The translation should give a complete transcript of the idea of the original work
2. The style and manner of writing should be of the same character with that of the original.
3. The translation should have all the case of the original composition.

Goethe suggests two modes of translation

First, the translator attempts to bring foreign author to his reader and through the second the reader is taken to the author. It involves the ‘adoption’ of the foreign writer into the native literary tradition in terms of its language and culture without sacrificing the spirit of the original .

Second, where readers are taken to the author involves a word for word, line by line faithful translation

In the twentieth century radical ideas developed about translation. Roman Jacobson classified the twentieth century translation into three categories

1. Intralingual – rewording in the same language
2. Interlingual – translation into some other language
3. Intersemiotic – translation across media

Theodore Savory makes a comprehensive division into four groups.

First Group: Belongs to all statements of a purely informative in character such as those seen by a traveler like, notices instructions etc It has plain unemotional language

Second group: To this belong all popular translations meant for general reader.

Third group: - most important of all groups as it contains all scholarly translations of literary classes with commentaries and discussions on how good and how perfect the renderings are done by different translators in different times.

Fourth group: Contains all learned and scientific and technical publications.

Andre Lefevere catalogues seven strategies of translations

1. Phonemic translations
2. Literal translations
3. Metrical translations
4. Poetry into Prose
5. Rhymed translation
6. Blank verse translation
7. Interpretation

Some more theories of Translation

1. Medium restricted translation theories
2. Area restricted translation theories
3. Rank-restricted translation theories
4. Text-type restricted theories
5. Time-restricted theories
6. Problem-restricted theories

------------------------------------

Important questions:

1. Write a note on Andre Lefevere’s strategies of translation
2. Write a note on Theodore Savory’s division translation
3. Give a brief history of translation theories
4. Write a note on types of translation

Translation 2006 question paper - MKU

MAY 2006 Paper III - TRANSLATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE
Time: Three hours Maximum: 100 marks

Answer any FIVE of the following.
1. Discuss the three essential qualities of translation.
2. Examine the nature of meaning and its function in translation studies.
3. Briefly analyze the importance of referential and emotive meanings.
4. Critically examine the history of translation.
5. Examine the comprehensive division of translations that Theodore savory makes.
6. What are the problems encountered in poetry translations?
7. Discuss the general rules laid out by Hillaire Belloc for the translator of prose texts.
8. Examine the procedures of machine translation.
9. Write an essay on transference.
10. Examine the three steps involved in the process of transliteration.

Translation - MK University MPhil Programme

I am preparing the notes. Will upload as and when I am through the chapter. You may be able to check most of it early in the morning and thereafter.

Anil

IFEP internships

DEPARTMENT OF MEDIA STUDIES

CHRIST COLLEGE, BANGALORE – 29

I FEP SUMMER INTERNSHIP – APRIL, MAY 2007

Guidelines:

• Prepare a proposal in about 100 words and email it to me. The proposal should include name and address of the newspaper where you would be doing your internship, a brief write up on that newspaper, reasons for your choice of that particular newspaper, your plans during the internship and your opinion on how the internship will help you develop as an effective media person. The proposal should reach me on or before 24 April 2007.

• You are to collect a diary from Mr Kennedy by showing the receipt for Rs 30 paid at the admission office. Make entries into the diary on day-to-day basis. Your diary entries should include the assignments you were given, details of how you went about doing the assignments, new things you learnt about the field, about yourself and your abilities that day. After a few days, the diary entries will look similar, clichéd and monotonous. It is up to you to find newness and creativity in your internship everyday.

• During your internship in the newspapers, try to get as many by-lines as possible. They will carry a lot of weight on your CV later. However, you will soon realise that it is not easy to get them. Most of the time the news briefs or news stories that you write will be published under the title ‘From our staff correspondent’ or ‘_____ News Network.’ Do not lose heart.

• Try to build as many contacts as possible both within the organisation and with people you meet in the field. You will realise the value of it during the internship and later as you try to climb the professional and social ladder.

• Try and do challenging news stories or features. See if you can come up with your own topics for features or news stories. Remember journalism is literature in a hurry and has a very short life span. Therefore, timeliness of an article or news is the most crucial value that will prove your talent and ability. Your genius is not what will make you valuable but your consistency (Like Rahul Dravid, if I may say!).

• Compile the copies of your published works regularly, be they briefs, news stories or features in a file. You will have to submit them along with your on-the-job reports when the college reopens.

• . If you want some guidance, want to share your success or failure feel free to email me anytime.

Anil Pinto

15 April 2007 http://anilpinto.blogspot.com

------------------All the best------------------

The Scramble for Post-Colonialism - Stephen Slemon

(Below is the simplified summary of the essay. Like all simplifications this might distort concerns of the original. I have written keeping in mind students of non-English medium background and from Thiland. All the best)

Post colonialism is a confused area now. It has arrived at the intersection of many viewpoints some of them contradistinction and canceling each other. There are also efforts on the part of some to police the field- in the sense; there are some who wish to control the field. This tendency to control is dangerous because, then those who wish to control may impose their own hidden agenda which will against the spirit of post colonialism.

The field of post colonialism is being professionalized. It is becoming a institution which provides effective tools for cliquing the society. It is also enabling us to understand our societies in a deep manner.

Slemon wishes to address disorder brought about the various developments mentioned above. So he wants to find out

1. who is the player in the postcolonial field, (i.e. who are the people writing, building theories in PC (I will use this short form hence forth to refer to post colonialism. Please do not do that in the exam)

2. who is on the bench ( who is isolated by other theorist and writers in the field of PC)

3. When and how a player is called out.( When are writers are isolated?)

His primary question is: Why do so many radically different and methodologically hostile critical and teaching practices want to ground them in an area called PC. They do it in order to de-scribe (question, rewrite etc) their various empires and to engage in emancipatory and local institutional politics.

--------

The term PC is used in different fields to talk about heterogenous (diverse) set of subject positions, professional fields, and critical enterprises. It is used in nine different ways

1. Term critiquing totalizing forms of western historicism ( trying to see all developments as those beginning from the west)
2. subset of postmodernism and poststructuralism ( i.e., one more post--)
3. Longing by local people when larger nation identity is imposed on them. E.g. Kannadigas/tamilians asserting themselves against larger Indian identity.
4. Cultural marker of non-residing third world intellectuals
5. The suppressed voices and identities during the colonial period
6. oppositional form of reading. I.e. reading in way that is different from the way the colonial masters taught us to read.
7. political activity that springs from rejection of commonwealth studies

Despite all these different understanding it is still difficult to capture the concept of colonialism itself. Because the Western theories of subjectification and its resistances continue to develop in sophistication.

Colonialism has two important angles. One – it was a political and economic structure. Political because it ruled the colonizers in the principles of the west. Economic because of the trade interests. The second angle is ideological.. The colonizers way of thinking and ways of looking at the world were imposed on the colonized. And as a result, indigenous knowledge systems were destroyed.

The diagram

The diagram represents the colonial process. It says that colonization was a one way process. It took place from left to right. To colonize, the colonizers drew upon two important tools – the institutional regulators and semiotic field. Institutional regulators included colonial education system. The semiotics field refers to the way the colonizer represented the colonized in various texts names – novel, poems, painting, drama, travelogues, autobiographies etc. These representations gave a justification for colonization back home.

Two central debates within pC are : historical specificity and agency.

Historical specificity: There is a problem of defining; saying this exactly is colonialism that applies to colonialism all over the world. Because it is true that in certain cases there are actual historical incidents we can fall back on to point out as the causes. But there are other causes which are tranhistorical, e.g. certain ideological reasons, which vary from colonizer to colonizer. Even when we talk about representation, it shifts from time to time. The colonizer does not represent the colonized the same way through out the period of colonization.

Agency: Agency refers to the opposition to the colonial rules. The question is who or what acts as opposition. For ex. in India open protest of Gandhi and others are seen as protests. But what about the tribals, nomads who were more feared by the British because of their unpredictability than the others.

Colonialism always presents the subject (colonized people) as without agency.

Homi Bhaba does not agree that there is a homogenous colonial representation or subject formation either on the part of the colonizer or colonized. For him colonial identity is overwritten by differential play of colonialist ambivalence. Therefore, he suggests persistent questioning of the frame. The frame he refers to is the space of representation as well as frame of western modernity itself.

The threat of heterogeneity (Page 24 onwards)

Central problem in PC construction is the metaphor of post colonialism as a central metaphor. It is on this metaphor that critical methodologies are striving to have absolute control. Therefore, genuinely post – or anti-colonial forms of academic work should go beyond the diagram. Such works are done my Benita Parry and Homi Bhabha.

Postcoloniaslim today, functions in the academy as a political analysis of what to do about he ‘problem’ of colonialism both as a structure of historical power and as a debate within ‘theory’.

The ambivalence in PC discourse will suggest two forms of literary critical work which try to understand what happens politically when the colonized write. One, tries to discover the ‘real’ colonized beyond the colonial representation. Second, writing back to the empire – writing my story in my own way.

Methodological disagreement: the debate is likely to produce affiliation to some writers which will also see these writer being deployed beyond the areas of their own work. E.g. Gayatri Chakravarthi Spivak or Edward Said have been deployed in debates and purposes which they themselves never conceived or thought of.

Methodological disagreement can at the heart of it have neocolonialism at play within the work of opposing critical practice.

Spivak questions the attempt to reclaim ‘authentic’ subaltern voices that colonialism has silence. She says, such an attempt falls into the trap of colonialism itself. Because for colonialism ‘voice’ meant at expressive, articulate voice.

At the heart of accusation and counteraccusation between the warring post-colonial theorist is the notion that: the Other is always neo-colonialist – the voice of the colonizer in renewed function and in institutionalized form.

Slemon fears that the field of post colonialism is in danger of colonized by competing methodologies. He also fears that it will land up in researches which have no inertest in PC. As examples he sites works of Homi Bhabha and Spivak whose brilliant work in theorizing of colonialism and deconstruction respectively, undermines all the work in post colonialism itself.

Therefore, Slemon suggests that PC should become more tolerant of methodological difference. He also wishes to preserve decolonizing commitment to postcolonial studies. Post colonial studies should talk across cultural locations and across methodological dynasties.

Forms of colonialist power differ radically across cultural locations. and its relations with other oders of oppressions are always complex and multivalent. However the resistant to colonialist power find material presence at the level of local, therefore we must always address the local.

Slemon is open to PC being both a geographical metaphor as well institutional location . He is welcome to both the noisy disagreement of postcolonial differences and clarity.

But he is worried about the loss of specificity of colonial relations as well as the thorough specialization which will kill the discord.

Workshop on Art and Architecture Criticism

Department of Media Studies

Christ College (Autonomous) Bangalore

Workshop on Art and Architecture Criticism

Date: 16, 17, 18, 19 April 2007

Time: 9.30 -1.00 pm

Venue: Christ College

Max no of participants: 15

Course Fee: 500

(Includes course material, certificate, tea)

For registration and details contact:

Visit: http://anilpinto.blogspot.com/

Or

Mail to : ajpinto42 at yahoo.co.in

or

Meet: Anil Pinto, Dept of Media Studies

Following is the rough syllabus. A detailed syllabus will follow.

Module I

Elements of art and architecture

Analyzing visual material

History of art and architecture through the concept of Beauty

The role of art in society and history

The performance of architecture in society and politics

Module II

Frameworks of criticism

Types of writing

Aspects of journalism

Module III

Field visits to two architecturally rich sites and two art galleries will be a part of the course.

Instructor

Kaiwan Mehta
Architect and Urban Researcher; Research scholar – Centre for the Study of Culture and Society, Bangalore; Senior Lecturer - K Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies, Mumbai; Assistant Editor - Indian Architect & Builder.

Workshop on Art and Architecture Criticism

The Dept of Media Studies is organizing a four-day Workshop on Art and Architecture Criticism on 16, 17, 18, 19 April 2007. The classes will be held from 9.30 to 1 pm at Christ College. The workshop will be reading, analysis and writing intensive.

Course fee Rs 400. Those who fulfill the all the requirement will be issued certificates at the end of the workshop.

Those who wish to participate in the workshop please mail me at: ajpinto42 at yahoo.co.in

Maximum intake: 15.

Following is the rough syllabus. A detailed syllabus will follow.

Module I

Elements of art and architecture

Analyzing visual material

History of art and architecture through the concept of Beauty

The role of art in society and history

The performance of architecture in society and politics

Module II

Frameworks of criticism

Types of writing

Aspects of journalism

Module III

Field visits to two architecturally rich sites and two art galleries will be a part of the course.

Instructor

Kaiwan Mehta
Architect and Urban Researcher; Research scholar – Centre for the Study of Culture and Society, Bangalore; Senior Lecturer - K Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies, Mumbai; Assistant Editor - Indian Architect & Builder.

The Ladies have Feeling, so... Shall we leave it to the Experts?

The Ladies have Feeling, so... Shall we leave it to the Experts? (2002)

Arundhati Roy

Contradictions that make India

Lives in many centuries simultaneously

Anarchy in India

Loaded in two convoys pulling opposite each other

Balancing is an art

Being a writer in this country

Development as undeclared war

Rules for writer: No rules. But no excuses for bad art

Art imposes responsibility

Problem of writer – once you see you can’t unsee

Civil society protects a writer

Changing situation for Indian writers – demand by western publishers

Celebrity status can kill the writer

Labeled – because she takes positions

Corporate globalization

Cannot address problems in India

We have excess within us

Way it functions

Govt stand – opposes

Euphemisms – Globalization with human face.

Questions unanswered: Globalization is not panacea

Need to question the World bank projects

Issue of displacement

Anti-poor govt and judiciary

You take part in the issues because you are a human being

Don’t depend on expert

India cannot be forced with globalization. Peoples movements cannot be silenced.

Their battle strategies span the range.

India’s redemption lies in its anarchy

Writers, artists, singers, filmmakers, should make connection and explain complexity of situations to people. – translate

New space. Opportunities for new kind of art.

Need for new kind of politics, of governance, and resistance, of opposition, of forcing accountability, of joining hands,

Only thing worth globalizing is dissent – India’s best export.

----------------
You may find the complete text of the article in the following link
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20020114&fname=Arundhati+Roy+%28F%29&sid=1

On the Abolition of English Department

On the Abolition of English Department

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Comment on HOD’s paper at University of Nairobi.

Issue: Developments in arts faculty and relation to English dept.

1. place of modern languages like French

2. Place of English

3. Emergence of Dept of Linguistics and languages

Suggestion: Dept of Linguistics and Languages closely related to English

Possibility of Dept of African literature and Culture

Important questions raised – values, direction, orientation

The suggestions question the role and status of an English Dept in an African situation and environment. “The English Dept has had a long history at this College and has built up a strong syllabus which by its study of the historic continuity of a single culture throughout the period of emergence of the modern west, makes it an important companion to History and to Philosophy and Religious Studies. However, it is bound to become less ‘British’, more open to other writing in English and also to continental writing, for comparative purposes.”

Assumption: the English tradition and the emergence of the modern west is the central root of our consciousness and cultural heritage. Africa becomes an extension of the west, an attitude.

There is assumed centrality of the dept into which other cultures can be admitted from time to time as fit subjects for study, and other satellite depts can spring depending on time and money. E.g. African writing in English syllabus

Imp question: If there is need for a ‘study of the historic continuity of a single culture’, why can’t this be African? Why can’t African literature be at the centre so that we can view other cultures in relationship to it?

Primacy of English literature and culture is rejected.

The aim- to orientate ourselves towards placing Kenya, East Africa, then Africa in the centre. Rest consider to understand ourselves

Suggestions: Abolish English dept

Begin dept of African literature and language.

Duty of literature dept: to illuminate the spirit animating a people, show how it meets challenges, innovate possible areas of development and involvement

Sources of influence

1. English French, Portuguese
2. Swahili, Arabic, and Asian
3. African tradition – stuff gown on, base

Oral Tradition

Living littered tradition- can be found in political rallies, churches and night clubs.

Art forms are interlinked in traditional practice are interlinked.

social purpose of tale, dance, song, myth

Dance – symbolic expression system of social reality reflecting and influencing cultural and personality systems of which it is a part

Oral tradition comments on society

Multidisciplinary approach to oral literature: Literature, music, Linguistics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Psychology, Religion, Philosophy,

Study can give fresh approaches

Oral tradition can supplement Modern African Literature.

Conclusion

Question of literary excellence

Abolish English dept and establish Dept of African literature and language.

Establish centrality of Africa

--------------------

Photo taken from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngugi_wa_Thiong'o

Minute on Indian Education

Minute on Indian Education (1835)

Thomas B Macaulay

Why English and only English

• Need to educate people cannot be done by mother tongue.
• A foreign language
• English is the best: It’s preeminent, abounds with works of imagination equal to Greek
• Best vehicles of ethical and political instruction
• Just and lively representations of human life and nature
• Has profound speculations on metaphysics, morals, government, jurisprudence, trade,
• Correct and full info on every experimental science to preserve health, increase comfort or expand the intellect.
• Ready access to intellectual wealth.
• Great literature
• In India English- language of the ruling class, spoken by higher mass of natives at seat of power
• Likely to become language of commerce throughout the seas of the East
• Language of two rising European communities – Australia and S Africa – becoming more imp and closer to Indian Empire
• Intrinsic value of literature + context make English the best choice

What to teach?

• In a language that does not have contemporary knowledge?
• Science, Philosophy, History as against problematic astronomy, history, geography

Justification – Two examples

1. Revival of learning in the West. Because they opened to sth external they grew to be equal. (Doubts about Sanskrit)
2. Russia- change in 120 years from barbarism.

The Solution

· Impossible to educate all with limited means

· Therefore, create interpreters between us and the masses “a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and in intellect (emphasis mine).

· That class will refine and enrich vernaculars with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature and make vernaculars fit to convey knowledge to masses

PS: Please go through the following link on Macaulay. Extremely fascinating. I strongly recommend that you go though it to understand Macaulay. If you manage to go through the link, please post your comments in the posting.

http://www.languageinindia.com/april2003/macaulay.html

Intership briefing

There is a meeting of all the IFEP students on Wednesday 28 at 11 am in IFEP classroom.

Agenda: Internship briefing by Abhaya and the dept.


PS: Teju, I havent received the corrected ids of the bouncing mails!