Hello! I've been learning a certain language for 4 years at university, and I'm supposed to graduate in few months. I've just found out about application for scholarship in the country where the language I've been learning is spoken, to spend two years conducting a research of topic I choose.
The thing is, the deadline for applying is the middle of the next month and I haven't had much time to really work on my plans for master thesis (I'd be graduating in few months, but I am supposed to apply for the scholarship now, then go there after I graduate).
To be honest, I am not quite sure just WHAT is alright to choose for a master thesis, so I'd really appreciate someone's opinion on things that I have in mind.

Since I am studying a language, the aspects I want to research are related to translation and problems while translating, such as misinterpretation, meanings lost in translation, important details that are easy to miss and deeper meanings you can't grasp without context...Then, problems with translating humor, slang, wordplays etc. [*]

In particular, I'd like to focus my research on translating comics from the language I'm learning into my native language (or English), but I am not sure whether choosing to do research based on comics is "serious enough" for master thesis and whether it is alright to choose such a topic. The conditions for getting the scholarship are kinda tough and I am also supposed to convince the interviewers that my research would be able to contribute to diplomatic relationships between my country and the country where I'd be studying - and I have no idea how to do that considering my interests.

I am also not sure how to put the things I'm interested in into one specific topic, so it won't seem like I have no aim. As I said, I really hadn't thought much about my master thesis, but I don't think I'm completely aimless. I am allowed to change my research topic once I am there, but when applying, I have to write down something specific.

Would someone be willing to help me out a little bit, please?

The questions that I'd really appreciate getting advice on are:

1. How specific my research topic for master thesis should be? Are the things I wrote too wide?
2. Is it alright to do research based on translating comics? Is it serious enough for master thesis?
3. What kind of topic related to translation would have high chances of appealing (in your opinion) to professors and universities? How can I intrigue them?
4. In your opinion, how can translators contribute with their work to the diplomatic relations between two countries?
5. If you are willing, would you give me suggestions about how to narrow and phrase my research idea based on the things I wrote in the post (I marked it with [*] )

Thank you in advance! I'd really, really appreciate some help ;w;

Hi Zhan,

Maybe you could seek advice from someone in your field? Any approachable lecturers in your current department? Nothing you've said is leaping out at me as not serious enough or problematic. But I am not in your field of study, so I really cannot offer a great perspective! Talking to someone who is more informed in your field / area of research could help you get some validation for your ideas and give you some direction in narrowing them down.

Hope this can help!

Tudor