Peter Connor

Not a difficult class, but quite boring. I love languages and I thought this would be an interesting approach to it, but I just couldn't keep focus. It was really hard to force myself to go to class, because he takes attendance.

I had two classes with Prof. Connor. He's pretty cool--very laid back, reasonable about workload and deadlines/extensions. I suppose you don't really have to do any of the readings in either class, but I did most of them and other people seemed to as well; they're interesting and people want to be in his classes (especially Translation Studies), so it works out. He speaks really quietly so it's easy to space out/fall asleep during class, but in addition to knowing about lots of dense readings and complicated literary things he's also quite funny and if you drift off you'll miss some really interesting, entertaining things.

Connor is an okay professor. He knows the material, but is the stereotypical absent-minded, Ivory Tower prof. I.e., don't expect to get papers back for a while, doesn't stick to the grading standards on the syllabus, and he cancelled our classes for about two weeks. Also isn't too big on class participation. Overall, he's a nice guy, just a bit out of it when it comes to the world outside of Balzac, Flaubert, and Zola. (The novels ARE good, but Connor tends to get very repetitive about what he says. Overall, lecture is pretty dull.)

Prof Connor's class was very enjoyable. The field of Translation Studies is very new but he still manages to raise interesting issues throughout the semester. That being said I felt the class was kind of wishy-washy. I enjoyed it and thought it was a great class, and I don't regret taking it, but that being said, if you're looking for more practical, hands-on application, you might be a bit disappointed with this course. There is only one required translation assignment, though it is an option for the final. Given that it's a large lecture (100+ students) with only four TAs, it makes sense that there aren't many assignments. The lectures are often just Professor Connor discussing what he thought was important, and him trying (and sometimes failing) to solicit class participation. Sometimes certain readings were never discussed at all, though it is usually helpful to read them. Usually every week we'll have three or four readings (no more than 20 pages, usually they're very short) and Professor Connor will pick one or two and extensively discuss them. You may nor may not appreciate this approach. Even though Professor Connor runs a great class about an interesting topic, I felt his lecture style is pretty standard for a college course. His lectures aren't fabulously engaging though they are very informative. He tries his best to engage with students but he is very much the ster…

I LOVED this class. Professor Connor has a very distinct style of teaching- his sarcastic comments often make for some pretty good laughs, and he always has really great insights on the subject matter. He can make you appreciate articles that otherwise seem so obscure you're not even sure why he asked you to read them. He brings you to the depth of it right away, and very succinctly. Overall a great class and a great professor.

One four page paper, one final paper (2.5 pages), and one written in class final which doesn't count if you do badly

Professor Connor is one of the most brilliant, knowledgable and insightful people at Columbia. His lectures are simultaneously intellectual and funny. His class completely changed my world view and made me rethink a lot of what I wanted to get out of college. I have never enjoyed a final paper as much as I enjoyed the one for this class. While he is very Francophone oriented, there are many languages represented in the class and he appreciates and highlights that.

Really nice guy-- Typical Ivy League professor. I definitely enjoyed his class, and the reading wasn't too bad at all. He is one of those professors who finds giving exams as much of a pain in the ass as the students find taking them. He understands that you have other classes to worry about. Speak up though; he likes when people contribute to his lectures. Overall it was a very englightening class; I would take him again if I could.

The best thing I can recommend is going to office hours; he does have a tendency to drone sometimes (in 20th Century French Literature, for sure), but the material he presents to you is engaging enough that it merits more conversation. You'll want to talk about these things, you'll want to think about them. He's also a funny guy and good to get to know. His office hours (when he remembers that he has them, I suppose) are very instructive, and I get the idea that he likes talking to his students more than reading them. Here he can explain why he doesn't explicitly advocate for the "faithful" translations or too "foreignizing" translations...(hint: can be the same thing). Professor Connor doesn't like grading papers. He leaves grading them, and assigning them, to the last minute. You want to know how you did in the class? Don't worry about it, you probably didn't get anything near a B. But if you don't want to do any work in the class, it's your loss, you're not learning anything he's teaching, which is actually pretty interesting. But at least if you don't show up and don't do your reading, go out and do something better with your time than laying in bed with your computer. At least in Translation Studies, the only way to really understand the material is if you start translating yourself. Grading: Translations/commentary: 25% Written critique/appreciation of a peer translation…

Excellent class. Prof. Connor is so kind and not too hard of a grader. Class is more lecture , but a small class and it was more lecture b/c no one participated, but he enjoys hearing students' comments. Two 3 pg essays was the sum of the work and a final essay, then a final which was a short in class essay. Just read and be prepared to listen to his interpretations of the novels. Smart man and a good class