AJ29085 Translating North America into Czech (and vice versa): a historical-cultural perspective

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 3 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Ing. Mgr. Jiří Rambousek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jana Chamonikolasová, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main goal of the course is to supplement the curriculum of American area studies with a point of view specific to the "observer's location" – the Czech/Czechoslovak point of view. The course is designed to remind students that although the two countries are geographically distant, their connections are deep and numerous. It focuses on selected points in history, politics, and culture where Czech or Slovak reality has intersected with the American one in a particularly significant way. Specific examples, dates, and events by which these areas are intertwined with Czech and Czechoslovak reality and culture will be provided that can be connected to other courses in the curriculum. The course also includes the development of Czech and Slovak relations with America and the United States, noting how the political situation has influenced them and how various social groups and political entities present these relations today.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to
- relate the knowledge from the American Studies courses (literature, culture, history) to the Czech-American relations;
- explain the history of literary contacts and translating from American literature, evaluate the influence of the most important translators and the selection of translated authors and works;
- identify major cultural influences, both literary and non-literary (music, film), and critically evaluate their manifestations;
- identify and discuss the basic historical points connecting the two cultures (immigration in the USA, WWII, the Cold War, developments after 1989);
- list the most important institutions dealing with mutual contacts and characterize their activities.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction, outline of the course (image of America in the Czech Republic; contacts and relations of the two cultures)
  • Political relations U.S.A. - Czech Reo. (main events: Masaryk in the U.S. and the founding of Czechoslovakia; end of WW II, Marshall's plan; Cold War, Velvet Revolution)
  • Institutions and organizations and their history in Czechoslovakia: Scout organziation (Junák), YMCA/YWCA; role of the U. S. Embassy; Voice of America; SPUSA; 68 Publishers Toronto)
  • 2. Cultural contacts and influences in other areas than fiction (jazz; tramping, woodcraft, C&W; movies)
  • 3. Ambiguous image of America in the Czech culture
  • 4. Literary connections: bibliography of translations, preferences in authors, political background
  • 5.-6. Translations of poetry and song lyrics
  • 7.-8. Practical attempts at English-Czech poetic translation: American poetry with Czech motifs
  • 9.-11. Translation of fiction: main trends, authors, genres; influential translations; choice of texts for translation; political influence
  • 12.-13. Deeper look at topics selected during the course
Literature
  • JAKLOVÁ, Alena. Čechoamerická periodika 19. a 20. století. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2010, 637 s. ISBN 9788020018106. info
  • Čechoamerická periodika 19. století. Edited by Jaroslav Malina - Alena Jaklová. V Brně: Nadace Universitas Masarykiana, 2006, 333 s. ISBN 8086258661. info
  • Popovič, Eva, Milena Secká, Martin Šámal. "Sbírky dokumentující život našich krajanů v Severní Americe ve druhé polovině 19. století ve sbírkách Národního muzea – Náprstkova muzea asijských, afrických a amerických kultur". In: Knihovna, 2013, ročník 24,
  • Kašpar, Oldřich. Tam za mořem je Amerika. (Dopisy a vzpomínky českých vystěhovalců do Ameriky v 19. století.) Vybral, uspořádal a čtenáře slovem provází Oldřich Kašpar. Praha: Československý spisovatel 1986.
  • KŘÍŽOVÁ, Markéta. Ideální město v divočině : misijní projekty Tovaryšstva Ježíšova a obnovené Jednoty bratrské v koloniální Americe. Vyd. 1. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2007, 263 s. ISBN 9788071068778. info
  • Jung, Václav Alois. Na prahu Nového světa a Rodina Petra Běla: kus amerického západu. Praha: Beaufort, 1903.
  • Vondrášek Václav - Hanzlík František. Krajané v USA a vznik ČSR v dokumentech a fotografiích. první. MO ČR, Praha 2009..
  • Hanzlík, František. Krajané v USA a vojenský exil pro obnovu demokracie v Československu 1948-1989. Praha 2012.
  • SLÁDEK, Josef Václav. Americké obrázky. V Praze: Evropský literární klub, 1941, 232 s. URL info
  • KUDĚJ, Zdeněk Matěj. Americké obrázky. Praha: Odeon, 1982. info
  • Moderní poesie americká. Translated by Antonín Klášterský. V Praze: Nakladatelství J. Otty, 1907, 284 s. URL info
  • Moderní poesie americká. Translated by Antonín Klášterský. V Praze: Nakladatelství J. Otty, 1909, 403 s. URL info
  • HOLUB, Miroslav. Anděl na kolečkách : poloreportáž z USA. Vyd. 1. Praha: Československý spisovatel, 1963, 100 s. info
  • Škvorecký, Josef: A Tall Tale of America. Velká povídka o Americe. Hradec Králové: Kruh 1991. ISBN 80-7031-576-8.
  • ŠKVORECKÝ, Josef. Scherzo capriccioso : veselý sen o Dvořákovi. Praha: Odeon, 1991. ISBN 80-207-0292-X. info
  • ŠKVORECKÝ, Josef. Nevěsta z Texasu : romantický příběh ze skutečnosti. Toronto: Sixty-Eight Publishers, 1992, 636 s. ISBN 0887812228. info
  • Pospíšil, Tomáš: Průvodce cestovatele Amerikou. Co všechno potřebuješ znát o americkém životním stylu. Olomouc: Votobia 2001.
  • Bystrov, Michal: Příběhy písní. ISBN 9788072626151, ISBN 9788072628445
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Předmět si nemohou zapsat studenti Bc. studia AJ
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2012, Autumn 2015.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2025/AJ29085