Ecuador Field School - Culture, Language and Translation

This Field School offers U of G students the opportunity to:

•          Be immersed in Ecuador’s rich and diverse culture, which has been influenced by European Spanish canons, indigenous traditions, Afro-Ecuadorian elements,
and more recently by the overwhelming processes of globalization. 
•          Improve Spanish proficiency, gain cultural insights and experience both the language and culture firsthand. 
•          Engage with locals and learn about Ecuadorian Spanish varieties that have been shaped by indigenous languages 
•          Develop skills for translating literary works from Ecuadorian writers from Spanish into English with ease.
•          Engage in 4 activities with U of Guelph students participating in another simultaneous Field School – Ecuador: Sustainable Livelihoods and Global Environmental Change, so that students from both programs can compare & contrast their experiences from different perspectives.

Applicants must have completed a minimum of SPAN 1110, and have a minimum 67% cumulative average. This Field School is open to students from all disciplines at the University of Guelph, but may be of particular interest to undergraduate and graduate students in Spanish Studies, International Development Studies, Anthropology, and the MA Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Field School Details

Instructor: Dr. Rosario Gomez, School of Languages and Literatures

Offered: Summer 2020

Prerequisite: 7.5 credits or permission of the instructor, 70% cumulative average,

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Dr. Gomez.

Program Dates

3 weeks in May 2020

Course 

Students will be registered in 1.0 credits at the third-year or fourth year level (or in 0.5 credits for LACS students). 


All students in the Field School will:

  • Be exposed to several literary pieces by 3 Ecuadorian authors. Students can choose one literary piece to work on.
  • Have the opportunity to meet the authors in Quito and visit the places, neighbourhoods, markets, etc. mentioned in the novels.

The ECUADOR FIELD SCHOOL: Culture, Language and Translation will be conducted in 2 streams:

  1. SECOND YEAR LEVEL SPANISH LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION STUDIES
  • This course is tailored for students who have completed SPAN*1110 and who have attained a A2/B1 proficiency level (CEFRL).
  • Students will work on simpler texts and will be given more opportunities to learn and practice the language 
  • Students will be introduced to translation fundamental concepts and techniques as they tackle the translation of short literary pieces focusing on the analysis of vocabulary, grammatical structures and cultural components
  1. FOURTH YEAR LEVEL SPANISH LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND TRANSLATION STUDIES / LACS MA STUDENTS
  • This course will benefit SOLAL undergraduate students (who have completed SPAN 2040, SPAN 3080, SPAN 3500), and LACS graduate students
  • Students in this stream will work on advanced topics of translation theory
  • Students will experience the direct interconnectivity of language and culture and how they mutually influence each other to convey meaning. 
  • Students will learn about the importance of being bilingual and bicultural to understand the source texts. 
  • This Field School will provide the opportunity to develop the linguistic and cultural sensitivities and expertise required to produce optimal translations. When language is embedded in a cultural context, acquisition of linguistic elements becomes exponentially easier.
  • Produce one culminating assignment: an English translation of a chosen text which will be published (under the supervision and review of the course instructor) with Antares Publishing House at York University in Toronto. This will be a refereed publication which offers significant future career advantages to students.

Costs


Students should budget for the following:

  • Tuition and fees at the University of Guelph for 1.0 undergraduate credits (or 0.5 graduate credits for LACS students)
  • Round-trip airfare to Ecuador - estimated at $750 CAD
  • The Ecuador Field School fee: approximately $1800 which covers the following in Ecuador - accommodations with breakfast, in-country transportation for field trips, admission fees for venues. This amount is subject to change based on fluctuating exchange rates.
  • Meals - estimated at $550
  • Mandatory travel health and emergency insurance through the company Guard Me ($1.65 / day)
  • Personal expenses (additional personal travel, etc) 

Eligibility

Applicants must have completed a minimum of SPAN 1110.  Students applying for the program must have completed a total of 7.5 undergraduate credits by the time the program begins in May 2020 (or permission from the instructor) and must have a 70% cumulative average. (Students with a 67 - 69% cumulative average may be considered if there are extenuating circumstances that affected their marks which are described on their application.)

The program is open to students from all disciplines at the University of Guelph, with a maximum of 12 students being accepted to the program. 

Apply to the Ecuador Field School

Students interested in applying to the Ecuador Field School should e-mail the Centre for International Programs and will then be given access to the online study abroad application.

Application deadline: February 19, 2020