2 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH OR

1 YEAR OF COLLEGE SPANISH RECOMMENDED

Spanish 600 (2 credits): Reading Spanish for Graduate Students

Instructor Contact Information:

Dr. Eloy Gonzalez (eloygonz@wsu.edu), Professor of Spanish, Chair, Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures

Ms. Elizabeth Siler, (ElizabethSiler@gmail.com), ESL Specialist, Department of English. 509-432-9694

Course Materials:

The most essential tool for this task is a good English-Spanish/Spanish-English dictionary. The class dictionary is non-negotiable: Everyone must have a copy of the Merriam-Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary. This text is small and lightweight and should be brought with you to class daily. The Oxford Spanish Dictionary is STRONGLY recommended. The version we want you to have has been ordered at Crimson and Grey and is available there - not the Bookie. This can serve as a part of your professional library for years to come.

In addition, Schwamm’s Outline Of Spanish Grammar is a required class tool. It is also available at Crimson and Grey.

You will be given materials to translate. These materials are taken from articles and books on literary and rhetorical criticism. Please get a three-ring binder and keep all work/handouts in that binder.

In addition, you will work on reading Espana ayer y hoy. Authors: Pedro M. Munoz & Marcelino C. Marcos. Pearson/Prentice Hall 2005. ISBN: 0-13-097103-0. This book has been ordered through Crimson and Grey.

Course Objectives:

This course includes a comprehensive review of the Spanish verb system. At the end of this course, you should be able to:

- use the dictionary to facilitate translation;

- identify the parts of the sentence (SVO) and the tense of the verb;

- understand how to translate particles (impersonal se, direct, indirect object pronouns) in Spanish.

- understand important adverbials of transition;

- sight-recognize important vocabulary in your field of study;

- translate a previously unseen 600-word passage.

Course Plan and Procedures:

Week 1 - Orientation and beginning of general review of Spanish grammar.

Weeks 2-3 - General review of Spanish grammar.

Weeks 4-15 - Translation strategies and practice.

Week 16 - Final exam.

The Class WebSite:

The class website is located at: www.wsu.edu/~mejia/Spanish_600_Homepage.htm

The website includes:

1. Links from which you can download the articles for translation.

2. An area where finalized translations of each item are posted.

3. A list of helpful links for persons who would like to review Spanish grammar or reading skills.

4. A series of grammar lessons over translation areas that are of most concern to native speakers of English when they translate from Spanish.

Grading

Technically, this is a P/F course. A D grade (average 1.0 as defined below) will earn you credit in the class, but a certificate towards the Graduate Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement will NOT be posted for students whose work is less than an average of B (3.0) (as defined below). Students who earn less than a 3.0 average may repeat the course. The following items will count towards your final grade in this class:

Performance on translations from the book: Espana Ayer y Hoy: 20%

Performance on the final exam: 40%

Performance on randomly assigned in-class translations: 20%

Performance on assigned out-of-class article translations: 20%

In addition, a passing grade also entails completion of 90% of the out-of-class translations that are assigned. Please note: While the final exam constitutes 40% of the final grade, it is NOT the only factor. It is possible to pass the final exam and not pass the class because the word done on the other 60% of the was not done at a high enough level. Please do not make the mistake of thinking that the remaining 60% of the class is “practice” and that the only thing that counts is the final. These translations are practice for your exam, and also ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE COURSE. Everything counts towards the final grade.

Work in the class is often graded using the following system:

# 4: A very high level proficiency in translation.

# 3: A high/medium high level of proficiency in translation. A few rough spots are evident.

# 2: A medium/medium low level of proficiency. Improvements are NECESSARY.

# 1: Serious attention is needed.

Work not turned in will receive a score of 0; work turned in late will receive a score of not higher than 2.

Important Course Policies

You are expected to know and adhere to the university policies on Academic Honesty. One area where students often have trouble with this in foreign language classes is in knowing how much help from a tutor or friend is acceptable. The basic rule is this:

Tutors or friends should not be providing you with translations of words or phrases unless those words cannot be found in ANY dictionary or reference work available to the class.

Tutors or friends should not be used to edit your translations, but they may be used to point out areas where you are experiencing difficulty. The assistance of tutors and friends should be used sparingly since those tutors and friends will not be available to you during the in-class graded work in this class.

Machine translators (such as Babelfish) should not be used, but you are welcome to use online dictionaries (e.g. Cambridge Dictionary Online).

Please do not work in pairs in or outside of this class unless specifically instructed to do so by the teacher. Please do your own work and submit your own work.