Translation didactics

»Niederländisch-ist das nicht einfach komisches Deutsch?« Dass diese Aussage grober Unfug ist, wissen Übersetzer, die niederländi-sche Literatur ins Deutsche übertragen, am allerbesten. Gerade we-gen der vermeintlichen Ähnlichkeit zum Deutschen hält die nieder-ländische Sprache für Übersetzer zahlreiche Stolpersteine und Fallen bereit. Wege nach Translantis soll dabei helfen, diese Fallstricke schnell erkennen und umgehen zu können. Die Bewusstmachung von Übersetzungsproblemen und ihre jeweiligen Auswirkungen auf das Übersetzen benennen zu können, kann dabei helfen, das Bewusstsein sowohl für die Ausgangs-als auch für die Zielsprache und vor allem für das Fach des Übersetzens zu schärfen. Dieser Leitfaden soll deshalb einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Transferkompetenzen leisten. Anhand von zahlreichen Beispielen werden sprachenpaarspe-zifische Übersetzungsprobleme und Lösungsansätze präsentiert und durch sprachwissenschaftliches Hintergrundwissen und praktische Tipps ergänzt. [6] »Niederländisch-ist das nicht einfach komisches Deutsch?« Dass diese Aussage grober Unfug ist, wissen Übersetzer, die niederländi-sche Literatur ins Deutsche übertragen, am allerbesten. Gerade we-gen der vermeintlichen Ähnlichkeit zum Deutschen hält die nieder-ländische Sprache für Übersetzer zahlreiche Stolpersteine und Fallen bereit. Wege nach Translantis soll dabei helfen, diese Fallstricke schnell erkennen und umgehen zu können. Die Bewusstmachung von Übersetzungsproblemen und ihre jeweiligen Auswirkungen auf das Übersetzen benennen zu können, kann dabei helfen, das Bewusstsein sowohl für die Ausgangs-als auch für die Zielsprache und vor allem für das Fach des Übersetzens zu schärfen. Dieser Leitfaden soll deshalb einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Transferkompetenzen leisten. Anhand von zahlreichen Beispielen werden sprachenpaarspe-zifische Übersetzungsprobleme und Lösungsansätze präsentiert und durch sprachwissenschaftliches Hintergrundwissen und praktische Tipps ergänzt. [6] »Niederländisch-ist das nicht einfach komisches Deutsch?« Dass diese Aussage grober Unfug ist, wissen Übersetzer, die niederländi-sche Literatur ins Deutsche übertragen, am allerbesten. Gerade we-gen der vermeintlichen Ähnlichkeit zum Deutschen hält die nieder-ländische Sprache für Übersetzer zahlreiche Stolpersteine und Fallen bereit. Wege nach Translantis soll dabei helfen, diese Fallstricke schnell erkennen und umgehen zu können. Die Bewusstmachung von Übersetzungsproblemen und ihre jeweiligen Auswirkungen auf das Übersetzen benennen zu können, kann dabei helfen, das Bewusstsein sowohl für die Ausgangs-als auch für die Zielsprache und vor allem für das Fach des Übersetzens zu schärfen. Dieser Leitfaden soll deshalb einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Transferkompetenzen leisten. Anhand von zahlreichen Beispielen werden sprachenpaarspe-zifische Übersetzungsprobleme und Lösungsansätze präsentiert und durch sprachwissenschaftliches Hintergrundwissen und praktische Tipps ergänzt.

This paper sets out to illustrate the design of an in vivo translation course that attempts to project, as closely as possible, into the translation classroom the professional environment that students will encounter in their later careers as translators. The course forms part of the MA in specialised translation programme offered by the Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication at Cologne University of Applied Sciences. It is based on the theoretical framework of situated translation (Risku, 1998, 2004), which stresses the situation-dependence of the intelligent human action of translation. Based on this framework, we review Göpferich's (2008) model of translation competence and illustrate how specific subcompetencies of this model can be linked to and are reflected in the design of our translation course. To conclude the article, we present several components of the translation course which are intended to develop the various subcompetencies of Göpferich's translation competence model.

В статье предпринята попытка представить параметры переводческой стратегии. Однако для этого необходимо условиться о трактовке переводческой стратегии. <...> автор предпринял попытку дать термину определение и выявить минимальный набор дифференцирующих признаков стратегии. Последняя понимается здесь как явление макроуровня (т.е. не уровня отдельной проблемы или сегмента). Предполагается, что всякая переводческая стратегия зиждется не на одном-двух критериях, а на целом наборе параметров, по которым необходимы стратегические решения (чем и объясняется разнообразие в классификациях стратегий). Таким образом, автор стремится разработать не типологию самих стратегий («методов» или «типов» перевода и т.п.), что типично для переводоведческих работ, а типологию параметров, которые, во-первых, подлежат учету со стороны переводчика при определении им характера реализации работы и, во-вторых, эксплицитно задают рамку для возможных классификаций стратегий и их анализа. Выделены три основных группы параметров: характер сходства ИТ и ПТ, характер обработки ПТ, иное поведение переводчика. Модель позволяет, с учетом данной ситуации и текста, необходимую детализацию и конкретизацию. В работе также уточняется момент избрания стратегии, должное соотношение стратегии и решений по конкретным проблемам (дидактическая рекомендация) и проясняется понятие тактики. Используемый подход имеет не только описательных характер, но и, прежде всего, практический и дидактический.

Anche in paesi che nella ricezione di film stranieri tradizionalmente preferiscono il doppiaggio, come Italia e Germania, negli ultimi anni si nota un crescente interesse per la trasmissione di film in lingua originale con sottotitoli interlinguistici, in particolare per quanto concerne i film d'autore. Tra i maggiori vantaggi della sottotitolazione rispetto al doppiaggio vi sono in primis la garanzia dell'autenticità, in quanto la colonna sonora originale rimane invariata e lo spettatore può apprezzare la recitazione degli attori e l'intenzione del regista, nonché l'utilità della sottotitolazione nell'apprendimento della L2, rilevata da diversi studi, poiché contribuisce all'ampliamento della competenza linguistica, in particolare nell'ambito ascolto e comprensione (cfr. Caimi 2002, Reinart 2004). Il contributo illustra l'utilizzo di film sottotitolati nella didattica di Tedesco L2 (DaF) ai fini dell'ampliamento anche della competenza metalinguistica.
Dal punto di vista scientifico, la sottotitolazione è una forma traduttiva specifica nella quale il testo tradotto è presente in aggiunta ai dialoghi originali (quindi il testo di arrivo non sostituisce il testo di partenza), segue in maniera sincronica il ritmo dei dialoghi e compie una trasformazione diamesica (da codice orale a codice scritto) (Gottlieb 1998, Perego 2005). Su questo sfondo, si analizza la strategia traduttiva adoperata nei sottotitoli interlinguistici del film tedesco Barbara (2012) di C. Petzold, intenso ritratto di una dissidente nella RDT del 1980, e in particolare in riferimento alla “richiesta di invarianza” (Schreiber 1993) tra originale e traduzione. La sottotitolazione infatti non può e non deve limitarsi ad una mera equivalenza denotativa ma realizzarsi in una prospettiva pragmatico-funzionale (Koller 2004). In questa prospettiva, l'attenzione si focalizza su aspetti linguistici e culturali quali la traduzione di varianti diafasiche, colloquialismi, giochi di parola e riflessioni metalinguistiche, allocutivi, realia.

This paper is concerned with technology-induced shifts in the tectonics of translation competence. It starts by dicussing the digitalisation and datafication of the translation process as the two main driving forces behind these shifts. Then, it critically surveys the 2009 and 2017 versions of the translator competence profile developed by the European Master’s in Translation (EMT) Network and compares the two versions for indicators of technology-induced changes in translation competence. It goes on to discuss in detail shifts occurring at the micro and macro levels of the translation process, illustrating changes at the linguistic/communicative level of translational action and arguing for extended process analysis/organisation comepetences and translation technology competences that translators can offer their customers as value-added services. The article concludes with some thoughts on what translation didactics can do in order to equip students with the competences required for the digitalised and datafied translation industry awaiting them after graduation.

La tecnología y la traducción automática se conciben como herramientas al servicio del proceso traductor para la mejora de la competencia traductora del estudiantado.  Esta innovación curricular incluye el diseño y la implementación de una serie de actividades con las que se provee al alumnado de las herramientas, técnicas y procedimientos necesarios que exige el mercado de la traducción. Los beneficios de esta innovación docente están ligados a una mejora de la futura inserción laboral del estudiantado. Asimismo, esta experiencia contribuye a sentar las bases para un diseño curricular innovador en el ámbito de la didáctica de la traducción.
Palabras clave: traducción automática; tecnología; innovación educativa; didáctica de la traducción; investigación cualitativa.

This article presents the results of an analysis of the components of context of development of French language projects reference framework in a translation program studies for students of French as a foreign language (FFL). The study falls into two fields: the didactics of FFL and the didactics of translation. It aims to identify and analyze the essential components of the reference framework (contents, skills, tasks and evaluation criteria's), through the analysis of linguistic and professional reference frameworks and through the discourse of students in a university context about the implemented projects and those that will be achieved in translation program studies. The research methodology is quantitative and qualitative to understand the students' discourse about the utilization the projects. The results of the study lead to the identification of the components of the reference framework and to the production of a document model of the project reference framework. Résumé Cet article présente les résultats d'une analyse des composantes du contexte d'élaboration du référentiel des projets en français pour une formation universitaire de traduction destinée à des étudiantes en français langue étrangère (FFL). L'étude s'inscrit dans deux champs disciplinaires : la didactique du FLE et la didactique de la traduction. Elle vise à identifier et à analyser les composantes essentielles du référentiel (contenus, compétences, tâches et critères d'évaluation), à partir de l'analyse des cadres des références linguistiques et professionnelles et du discours des étudiantes sur les projets en français mis en oeuvre et à réaliser dans la formation de traduction. La méthodologie de la recherche est quantitative et qualitative pour comprendre le discours des étudiantes sur l'utilisation des projets. Les résultats de l'étude ont conduit à l'identification des composantes du référentiel et à la production d'un modèle de document du référentiel des projets. Mots-clés : contenus, compétences, projet, formation de traduction, apprenants FLE, référentiel Introduction L'élaboration des référentiels des formations en langues étrangères est une pratique institutionnelle qui nécessite un renouvellement fréquent des maquettes des formations, en raison de l'évolution des besoins des apprenants, des pratiques des enseignantes et d'une organisation de l'activité formative. Elle entraîne des ajustements sur l'apprentissage des langues par la construction d'un ensemble de repères partagés pour la mise en oeuvre des savoirs et des compétences acquis. Les savoirs sont les connaissances qui résultent de l'expérience (savoirs empiriques) ou d'un apprentissage plus formel (savoirs académiques). Les compétences désignent

Цель настоящей статьи — дать возможное описание переводческих компетенций, предназначенное не преподаватели и теоретику, а студенту-переводчику. Было предпринято множество попыток дать научное описание переводческих компетенций и построить модели разной степени сложности и детализации. Такие модели и описания ориентированы естественным образом на преподавателя, теоретика и/или оценщика. При этом упускается из вида фигура студента, хотя очевидно, что студенты-дебютанты нуждаются в насколько возможно а) доходчивом, б) простом но без упрощенчества, в) достаточно подробном, но без ухода в бесконечность, описании тех требований, которые предъявляются к переводчику-профессионалу. Задача такого описания — показать, к чему в принципе нам следует стремиться как профессионалам. В первой части статьи кратко представлены существующие теоретические подходы к описанию компетенций. Во второй — сформулированы общие принципы, на которых построено содержание настоящей статьи. В третьей части представлены сами требования к переводчику как их можно излагать студенческой аудитории. Избран мультикомпонентный подход с указанием при этом на дифференцирующий признак, обособляющий профессию переводчика. В четвертой части кратко отмечены некоторые когнитивные и психологические характеристики, о которых полезно иметь представление студенту-дебютанту.

The translation sector is going under major changes that will undoubtedly be accentuated in the future owing to the development of automation and artificial intelligence, and more specifically, of machine translation. Technology also plays a crucial role in the translation process and has a significant impact on translation competence. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that university translation programmes incorporate new translation technology into their curriculums in order to ensure that students are made aware of their usefulness in order to fulfil industry employment needs. This piece of research strives at mapping how and what for translation students use MT, and what are their attitudes and perceptions towards its use. Findings of a qualitative analysis indicate that undergraduate students have a positive general attitude towards MT and its many advantages, whereas they show preoccupation when MT professional issues are addressed.

"Most of the current training programmes in Translation and Interpreting in Spain include a course focused on culture and “civilization” contents related to each one of languages offered. Depending of the curriculum, this course may be basic, compulsory Spanish-wide (a local requisite), or optional. In general terms, the main goal of such courses is to familiarize students with the most relevant political, social and economic aspects from the main countries where a certain language is spoken. This paper assumes that a cognitive approach to the concept of “culture” is necessary for research purposes within empirical translatologies. However, its didactic articulation should also be redesigned, as evidenced by the courses on “Culture and Civilization of English Speaking Countries” mentioned in this paper. This paper presents some examples of the lack of a consensus on the understanding of the concept of culture in Translation Studies. Then, potentially useful contributions for an operational notion in cognitive translatology are discussed. The syllabuses used in many Translation and Interpreting Schools in Spain are then analysed under this perspective, by posing some questions about their application and advantages for students’ training. Finally, some suggestions are offered to (a) introduce a professional approach to the contents of these courses and (b) offer some ‘food for thought’ about the role of culture and its related concepts (culturemes, rich points) in Translation and Interpreting training programmes.

Keywords: Culture, Civilization, Cognitive Translatology"

Due to the widespread use of data-driven neural machine translation, both by professional translators and layperson users, an adequate machine translation literacy on the part of the users of this technology is becoming more and more important. At the same time, the increasing datafication of both the private and the business sphere requires an adequate data literacy in modern society. The present article takes a closer look at machine translation literacy and data literacy and investigates the interface between the two concepts.

The article hereby is an inquiry into a case of translation republishing, where extensive changes in the latter version are present despite the fact that the agents of the process are the same. The case is a fruitful source of discussion for translation studies since it provides constancy of significant variables while the translation products are considerably different. Through a descriptive study of such a case, varying constraints under which the agents operate are attempted to be revealed. Such revelation is also significant insofar as it provides a new perspective on the motives behind retranslation, which has been an amply discussed issue. In addition, the observed change in the constraints leading to non-conformism and a related change of macro-strategy observed in the retranslation seem to provide significant insight into the role of cultural, communicative and contextual factors in translator behaviour, which has important implications for translator training. The analyzed case also provides ground for the reconsideration of some of the common central concepts in translation studies today, as it seems to be buoyed up in the blurry boundaries between these concepts. Such conceptual discussion is increasingly becoming essential for translation studies as the body of research in translation studies calls for more and more precise terminology with each passing day.

In dem nachfolgenden Beitrag soll zunächst auf die Veränderungen des Berufsbildes der Translatoren sowie die globalen ökonomischen Rahmenbedingungen im Rahmen der so genannten Übersetzungs­industrie, insbesondere unter dem Aspekt des zunehmenden Einflusses der Translations­technologie eingegangen werden. Mit den Auswirkungen auf das Selbstverständnis von Translatoren sowie auf die Disziplin der Translations­wissenschaft beschäftigt sich der zweite Teil, während die nötigen Kompetenzen des Translators und deren Umsetzung in der Ausbildung anschließend im Mittelpunkt des letzten Teils dieses Aufsatzes stehen.

Σύνοψη Στο κεφάλαιο αυτό παρουσιάζεται εν συντοµία η (ιστορική) σχέση της µετάφρασης, ως πρακτικής γραφής και επικοινωνίας, µε τις τεχνολογίες γραφής και επικοινωνίας, µε έµφαση στη σύγχρονη εποχή: εποχή παγκοσµιοποίησης, δικτύωσης, ραγδαίας αύξησης της ζήτησης για µετάφραση, διαφοροποίησης της έννοιας της πληροφορίας και της γνώσης και συνακόλουθου µετασχηµατισµού του µεταφραστικού επαγγέλµατος. Παρουσιάζονται συστηµατικά τα µεταφραστικά εργαλεία που υποστηρίζουν σήµερα το µεταφραστικό έργο, αµιγώς µεταφραστικά (µεταφραστικές µνήµες) και υποβάθρου (λεξικά, ορολογικές βάσεις, σώµατα κειµένων), τόσο στην τεχνική όσο και στη λογοτεχνική µετάφραση, στα ζεύγη γλωσσών που περιλαµβάνουν τα ελληνικά. Εξετάζονται οι αλλαγές που εισηγείται στη µεταφραστική πρακτική η υπολογιστική νέφους (cloud computing), όπως και η πρόοδος της µηχανικής ή αυτόµατης µετάφρασης, σε συνδυασµό µε τη συλλογική-συνεργατική µετάφραση που κυριαρχεί στο διαδίκτυο.

Translation apps available in the market, such as DeepL and Google, smart keyboards capable of translating and related software have been produced to meet the current needs in the world. Yet the artificial intelligence has not replaced the human translator with emotional and creative intelligence. On the contrary, the importance of translators as individuals has grown and the content of the academic translator training is to be altered accordingly. This study is based on the assumption that the translation approach dependent on the scientific knowledge directly shapes the translation as a product. The parameters to evaluate translation are complex and interwoven. Although the translation sub-competence is an elementary part of the translation competence, it is still underresearched (Eser 2015). Thus, this article aims to analyze translation subcompetence with a specific focus on the translation approach and to construct a scale to be applied in the German-Turkish language pair. The conceptual framework is based on Researching Translation Competence by the PACTE Group (2017) which conducts advanced research on the acquisition of translation competence. The translation approach of undergraduates of the Translation and Interpreting Studies B.A. Program and the German Language and Literature B.A. Program at Ege University have been observed, a survey focusing on the sub-competence of translation which evaluates the translation competence of the participants pursuant to the concepts of dynamic – static (Albir 2017, Albir vd. 2020) accordingly, the data acquired has been analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and the deductions have been examined. A pivotal problem in translator training has been detected and a scale to be applied has been developed within the scope of the study which is based on activity research pattern.

Test types that are based on the translation of source texts into the target language on grammar and vocabulary basis that students are familiar with during their preparation process for the university entrance exam are found to be effective in their understanding of translation, and the effects thereof on their translation practice have been examined. It was observed that students assumed a presumption that the static approach is the sole and ideal approach in translation, and thus made a habit of doing static translation in translation practice as well.

This study revealed that the static approach that induces the candidate translators’ fear of digressing from the source text and supports their propensity for using a dictionary precluded them from producing texts in the target language in accordance with the text norms and caused them to use smaller translation units as a basis, compared to experienced translators. The tendency of the students to focus on syntactic forms and word units, which is frequently observed in the semi-professional translators, also prevents them from focusing on content integrity.

This article concluded that the translation approach of undergraduates in German Translation and Interpreting Studies is more dynamic than that of undergraduates in German Language and Literature; German Language and Literature undergraduates have a higher coherence coefficient of knowledge of translation. Although the translation knowledge competence of undergraduates in the German Translation and Interpreting Studies department is higher than that of the undergraduates in the German Language and Literature department, it is interesting to note that undergraduates who intend to be translators in the future have a lower level of translation knowledge. The difference between the undergraduates is thought to stem from the courses they took in the first year. The fact that undergraduates of German Language and Literature desire to work as translators after graduation more than undergraduates of German Translation and Interpreting Studies and that they are of the opinion that the education they received is qualified for being a translator stands out as a striking indicator.

This scale can be used by the instructors who provide translation training for the German-Turkish language pair in the departments of German Translation-Interpretation / Translation Studies, German Language and Literature and German Language Education. In this way, students can question their presumption. How the translation is created, what the translation units are, the methods that can be used, the types of problems to be encountered and the professional requirements can be examined in the lessons through the scale. The learning process can also be effectively supported with this scale. Using the scale at the beginning of the academic translation education will increase the awareness of the student and enable him/her to think multi-dimensionally. Thus, it will be easier to find effective solutions. In academic translation education, doing translation exercises from grammatically easy texts to difficult texts will not improve students’ translation competence much. Presenting this scale in lessons in order to improve students’ translation knowledge skills will be an important step for the student’s development. Along with the scale, basic information about acquiring translation skills can be given; the differences between static and dynamic translation approaches can be examined in a more comprehensive way through rich points and a discussion environment can be created on the scale. In this way, the subject can be discussed in detail and a stimulus can be created for students to question their own approaches in this way.


DeepL ve Google gibi çeviri hizmetleri, cep telefonlarında kullanılan mobil çeviri uygulamaları, çeviri yapabilen akıllı klavyeler, bilgisayarlarda kullanılan yazılımlar globalleşen dünyada bir ihtiyaca karşılık olarak üretilmiş, ancak bu yapay zekâ ürünleri henüz duygusal ve yaratıcı zekâsı olan insan çevirmenlerin yerini dolduramamış, aksine gelişmelerle birlikte birey olarak çevirmene atfedilen önem artmış ve akademik çeviri eğitimi içeriklerinin de gelişmelerle uyumlu olabilmesi bir gereksinim haline gelmiştir. Çalışmamız, bilimsel bilgilere dayalı bir çeviri anlayışının çeviri ürününü doğrudan etkilediği varsayımını temel alır. Çeviri edincini değerlendirecek parametreler karmaşık ve iç içedir ve çeviri bilgisi alt edinci, çeviri edincinin çok önemli bir bileşeni olmasına rağmen henüz yeterince incelenmemiştir (Eser, 2015). Bu nedenle araştırma kapsamında çeviri bilgisi alt edincini, özellikle çeviri anlayışını analiz etmek ve Almanca-Türkçe dil çiftine yönelik akademik çeviri eğitiminde uygulanabilecek bir ölçek oluşturulması amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın kavramları, çeviri edinci edinimi süreci üzerinde derinlikli araştırmalar yürüten PACTE Grubu’nun Researching Translation Competence (2017) isimli eserine dayanmakla birlikte, çalışma kapsamında ayrıca çeviri anlayışı kavramı belirlenmiş ve tanımlanmıştır. Bununla birlikte Ege Üniversitesi Almanca Mütercim-Tercümanlık Bölümü’nde ve Ege Üniversitesi Alman Dili ve Edebiyatı Bölümü’nde eğitim alan öğrencilerin çeviri anlayışları gözlemlenmiş, gözlemlerden hareketle çeviri bilgisi alt edincine odaklanan ve katılımcıların çeviri edincini devingen-duruk kavramları (Albir, 2017; Albir et al. 2020) üzerinden değerlendiren bir anket hazırlanmış, anket verileri IBM SPSS Statistics 25 programıyla analiz edilerek çeviri eğitimine yönelik çıkarımlar irdelenmiştir. Eylem araştırması desenine dayalı araştırma yaklaşımıyla yürütülen çalışma kapsamında akademik çeviri eğitimine ilişkin önemli bir sorunsal belirlenmiş ve uygulamada kullanılabilecek bir ölçek geliştirilmiştir.

Resumen:
En este artículo se pormenoriza una actividad de innovación docente llevada a cabo (curso académico 2006-2007) en el marco de la asignatura Introducción a la Traducción de Textos no Literarios1 de la licenciatura en Filología Francesa de la Universidad de Cádiz (España), que por sus características pueda ser exportable a otros ámbitos geográficos y a otros ámbitos sectoriales, con las adaptaciones que se consideren necesarias.


Abstract:
This paper describes an activity of innovation in didactics (academic term 2006-2007) developed within the frame of the academic course Introducción a la Traducción de Textos no Literarios in the undergraduate programme French Philology at Universidad de Cádiz, Spain. Due to its characteristics it could be exported to different geographical environments and to different sectors, provided that the necessary adaptations are implemented.

This article sets out to illustrate possible applications of electronic corpora in the translation classroom. Starting from a survey of corpus use within corpus-based translation studies, the didactic value of corpora in the translation classroom and their epistemic value in translation teaching and practice will be elaborated. A typology of translation practice-oriented corpora will be presented, and the use of corpora in translation will be positioned within two general models of translation competence. Special consideration will then be given to the design and application of so-called ‘Do-it-yourself (DIY) corpora’, which are compiled ad hoc with the aim of completing a specific translation task. In this context, possible sources for retrieving corpus texts will be presented and evaluated and it will be argued that – owing to time and availability constraints in real-life translation – the Internet should be used as a major source of corpus data. After a brief discussion of possible Internet research techniques for targeted and quality-focused corpus compilation, the possible use of the Internet itself as a ‘macro-corpus’ will be elaborated. The article concludes with a brief presentation of corpus use in translation teaching in the MA in Specialised Translation Programme offered at Cologne University of Applied Sciences.

The paper attempts to set up the parameters of a translation strategy. But to do so, it is first necessary to agree on what a translation strategy is. After exploring the current uses of the term in TS, the author tries to define it and to identify a minimal set of its differentiating properties. The strategy is understood here as a macro-level phenomenon (i.e. not local problem / text segment level). It is assumed that any translation strategy is based not on one or two criteria, but on a whole set of parameters which require strategic decisions (hence the diversity of strategy classifications). Thus the author seeks to build not a typology of strategies (or translation methods or types etc.), which is a common trend in TS, but a typology of parameters that, first of all, need to be accounted for by translators when determining how the job should be done and, secondly, explicitly set the framework for possible classifications of strategies or for strategy analysis. Three main groups of parameters are identified: the nature of similarity between ST and TT; the nature of the TT processing; other translator’s behaviour. This model allows, when necessary and given the nature of the situation and the text, to add specific details or to make any refinement. The author also specifies at what moment the strategy is elected, which should be the correlation between the strategy and local solutions (didactic recommendation), and what are translation tactics. The adopted approach is intended to be not only descriptive, but, above all, practice-oriented and didactic.

Resumen

El desigual nivel de conocimientos sobre Derecho de los estudiantes que optan por matricularse en las asignaturas de la especialidad jurídica que oferta la Facultad de Traducción e Interpretación de Granada, unido a la limitación de tiempo para impartir estas materias, impone al docente una elección práctica y funcional de:

a) la metodología y los objetivos de enseñanza-aprendizaje
b) los medios didácticos: temas y documentos de trabajo.

El objetivo de esta ponencia es mostrar, mediante un caso práctico, la metodología que utilizo en clase para fomentar el interés de los estudiantes de traducción por el estudio del Derecho partiendo de su desconocimiento de la terminología que se utiliza en un subcampo jurídico específico.

Desde esta perspectiva, el campo terminológico-conceptual de las resoluciones judiciales constituye una herramienta ideal para iniciar al estudiante de traducción en el conocimiento del Derecho, como fase previa a la traducción de textos especializados del ámbito jurídico.

Making the most of “counterdirectionality” in translator training

Traditionally, it has always been said that it is recommendable to translate into the mother tongue or A language. Despite this, if we take into account a whole series of factors such as professional market demands and the profile of translation and interpreting students, the teaching of translating and interpreting into a foreign (B or C) language becomes a must. In the day to day reality of our classrooms, however, the division between translation into the mother tongue and translation into the foreign language becomes diffuse, or even fictitious. Given this situation, this paper presents a theoretical reflection on how to make the most of the “counterdirectionality” existing within student groups.

Our reflection is based on the following main concepts: a) Gile’s effort model for interpreting; b) the distinction between phases and tasks in the translation production process; c) the systematic application of self-revision and the need to promote peer cross-revision among students; and d) the acquisition of translator competence.

Based on these four axes, the paper offers an adaptation of Gile’s effort model to translation which, together with the trainer’s diagnostic and formative assessment, serves to orientate students when revising the result of their work.

The aim of this proposal is to make the most of variations in directionality existing within student groups, through the use of a set of exercises specificially designed for the purpose. 

Key words: directionality, “counterdirectionality”, self-revision, peer revision, stages and tasks, translator competence.

Resumen

Tradicionalmente se ha dicho que lo más recomendable es traducir e interpretar hacia la lengua materna o lengua A. No obstante, la consideración de toda una serie de factores (entre los que destacaremos las exigencias del mercado profesional y el perfil de los estudiantes de traducción e interpretación) hacen imprescindible la enseñanza de la traducción e interpretación inversas, ya sea hacía la lengua B o C. Sin embargo, la realidad en las aulas muestra que en determinados casos la didáctica de asignaturas como por ejemplo “traducción inversa” o “traducción directa” aparece invertida, llegando incluso a ser ficticia. Ante esta situación presentaremos una reflexión teórica sobre la conveniencia de sacar el mayor partido posible de la “contradireccionalidad” que existe en el seno de un mismo grupo de estudiantes. 

Nuestra ponencia se centra en cómo rentabilizar la “contradireccionalidad” en el ámbito de la didáctica de la  traducción. El marco teórico de nuestro estudio se basa en : a) el modelo de esfuerzos en interpretación de Daniel Gile; b) la distinción entre fases y tareas en el proceso de producción de la traducción; c) la práctica sistemática de la autorrevisión y en la conveniencia de fomentar la revisión recíproca entre los estudiantes y d) la adquisición de la competencia traductora.

Partiendo del mencionado marco teórico, hemos realizado una adaptación del modelo de esfuerzos de Gile aplicado a la traducción que, junto con el diagnóstico de la evaluación realizada por el profesor, servirá para orientar a los alumnos a la hora de revisar el resultado de su trabajo.

La finalidad de nuestra propuesta es rentabilizar la eventual existencia de una direccionalidad diferente en el seno de un mismo grupo de estudiantes mediante una serie de ejercicios.

Palabras clave: direccionalidad, “contradireccionalidad”, autorrevisión, revisión recíproca, fases y tareas, competencia traductora

In spite of academia’s effort to narrow the gap between university and the job market, recruiters still point the finger at teachers for being out of touch with reality. Inexperienced junior translators do not have the skills needed to succeed in today’s translation industry. Gone are the days of pen, paper and a stack of dictionaries and, when in doubt, a call to the local mechanic or doctor. Professional translators are asked to juggle between web-based termbanks, online research and translation memory software on the one hand and, on the other, highly specialized subject knowledge.
Drawing on my own experience as a technical translator with 8 years’ experience, I developed a project - In-class TWorkflow Simulator – that aims to bridge this gap and familiarize students with the real (or ideal) professional workflow of translation projects. Instead of asking students to translate individual documents selected on the basis either of the student’s personal interests or of terminology, I asked my client’s permission to use previous translation projects. Then, by organizing the class as a translation company, each group of students was asked to perform a different task according to different job roles: terminologist, translator, proof-reader, editor or project manager. Students should thus become familiar with the job brief and what the client expects and with the difficulty level of real translation projects. Using this approach, they should learn how to dialogue and negotiate with different professional categories.
Bearing in mind these motivations, in this poster I will examine the difficulties and shortcomings of this project, its advantages and students’ expectations, and possible solutions to implement in the next academic year.

The aim of the article is to present reflections on an innovative translation exercise based on television programmes that are available on the Internet. Gist translation of TV programmes not only develops students’ translation competence, but also helps to improve their language skills. On the basis of surveys conducted among students, the author also discusses the assessment of the difficulty of this exercise and the factors that affect its didactic efficiency. The analysis of the survey results showed that the extracted factors correlate with each other, and their complex consideration will significantly improve the effectiveness of this exercise. The author also shares his experience of the use of the exercise in teaching translation at the University of Warsaw and the University of Silesia in Katowice.