advanced Chinese study/translation

[sirenbear]

Hi all,

I am looking for advice about where to study next. Right now I am doing the Hopkins-Nanjing program at Nanjing University. By the time I am finished with it my Chinese will be relatively advanced. There is a Master's at this program, but it is very expensive and not worth it in my view. Also, what I am really interested in is translation and literature.

I'd like to know if anyone has any advice about the direction I should go in. Ideally I'd like a structured program, and to not just learn through working in China or something. Also, if there are any working translators I'd be very interested to know about your experience. I have the skills now to translate from Chinese to English but I still want to improve my Chinese.

Any suggestions at all would be appreciated, thanks.

ps- I want to stay in China (probably)

[Xiao Kui]

I'm not sure if you will necessarily get the best education staying in China from what I've heard abt Masters' programs here, unless it's in conjunction with a western university.

UT Dallas has a center for translation studies. From what I understand it is mostly geared toward those who want to specialize in literary translation. It is also the headquarters for ALTA (American Literary Translators Association) EDIT: just discovered sth else abt UT Dallas translation program: " Funding

The School of Arts & Humanities offers graduate students teaching and research assistantships, including research assistantships within The Center for Translation Studies, that cover all tuition and fees as well as provide a monthly stipend." Sounds like it could be free if you qualify!

Maybe they have independent study or could allow you to do your research in China, then you could spend more time here. If you really want to do your Master's in China then check out John Pasden's www.sinosplice.com He did a Master's in China in Applied Linguistics and has several entries on his website abt it. When I was interested in studying a Master's here I wrote him and he was very helpful with my questions.

Edited February 3, 2009 at 12:32 AM by Xiao Kui

[sirenbear]

thank you so much! not sure if I am prepared to leave china though:). Did you wind up getting your master's? what kind of program and how do you like it, if you don't mind my asking?

[Xiao Kui]

I actually ended up taking a different career path - became a children's illustrator. But looking at that free ride graduate studies program at UT Dallas, I'm almost tempted to reconsider.

Have you considered Taiwan, it's part of China you know? Anyway there are a couple of people who have done graduate studies there at www.forumosa.com notably ironlady who is an experienced translator and littlebuddha who did some graduate literature studies there. But from what I've read as long as you're in the Far East, you're going to be learning in a traditional Chinese way, which IMHO is not as intellectually stimulating as a Western university (or even high school) education. (Don't everyone shoot me at once for that statement, Chinese people themselves tell me this all the time, so take it out on them!!!!)

The learning CHinese forum at forumosa

http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewforum.php?f=40&sid=b2388b2435e6bf016d6ff176cbc991f5

Edited February 3, 2009 at 04:44 AM by Xiao Kui
wrong website address