Grammar translation methods for translation are very important.

This is why a person who

wishes to make a career out of translation needs to study a foreign language as well as the
English language. While studying these languages at college, the student needs to include
grammar translation methods in their studies.

Grammar translation classes teach students the grammatical rules and how they apply to
sentences translated between the target language and the native language. These courses
can be taken even after the person has completed their degree course. However, it would
be a good idea for the student to include it in their major language studies.

What are the Grammar Translation Methods?

The grammar translation method is often referred to as the traditional or classical method
of translation. It is an important aspect that preempts the translators’ work at Circle
Translations. It is a way of making sure that both the target language as well as the native
language are translated in the best way possible. It ensures that the languages are both
used in the correct way and in the context in which a paper is written, for example.

Thus, it is important for students to include this method in their studies as it will teach
them to read and study a foreign language and its literature. Furthermore, it will also teach
them how to translate these languages.

What it means for grammar translation is that students will learn and memorize the
grammatical rules of both the target language and their native language. This means that
they would be able to translate texts and documents from the target language to their
native language and vice versa. Hence, this discussion focuses more on the student than
on the translator. The grammar translation methods form the groundwork for the
translators.

Thus, it is important for students to

include this method in their studies as it
will teach them to read and study a
foreign language and its literature.
Furthermore, it will also teach them how
to translate these languages.
What Entails Grammar Translation Methods?
It is important to review here what the translation method entails. It is a matter of
memorizing grammatical rules in each of the languages that the student studies. This is
important because it gives the person the ability to manipulate syntax and the morphology
of the language. This ensures that the grammar translation is done accurately. This is very
important as the main focus of this method is to ensure that the translation is accurate.

The focus of the grammar translation methods is based on teaching certain principles.
These are as follows:

• The student needs to obtain a good grasp of the foreign language as well as their
native language. Inevitably, this is a requirement for a translator at translating
services such as Circle Translations.
• Students should know that literature is more important than spoken language.
• Grammar is a systematic way of learning a language. It is therefore important to
focus more on accuracy than on fluency in the language.
• Any language translation needs a large vocabulary.

Grammar translation methods are deemed to provide the most accurate and proficient
translation. It follows the method of teaching students isolated and independent words
and phrases. This makes it possible for the students to focus on the target language they
are learning. As a teaching method, though, it is a method that has been rejected by many
academics. However, for the translator, it makes it much easier to translate a language.

How Does the Grammar Translation Method Work?

Should a student decide to become a translator, they could at some point utilize grammar
translation methods as part of their translation strategy. It is therefore important for them
to know how to do certain things, such as the following:

• How to translate literary documents, articles, and extracts into their own mother
tongue.
• They will know how to read comprehensively – that is, to find information, make
inferences, and relate texts to personal experiences.
• It is important to have a large arsenal of vocabulary in order to provide an accurate
translation.
• They should know the grammatical structure of each language they study – that is,
both the target language and the mother tongue.
 • Students should learn how to use bilingual, monolingual, and multilingual
dictionaries.
• It is important to be able to write paragraphs and essays in both languages.

The aspects discussed here indicate that a translator would be able to achieve the highest
accuracy rate in translating to a target language. Using this method engages the translator
on many levels, such as an improved vocabulary, further intellectual development, and
improved language skills in the target language as well as the mother tongue.

Why use Grammar Translation Methods?

It is important to note that, even though some countries and institutions reject the
grammar translation methods, there are still places that use it. This is because the
emphasis is not on the speaking of the language but on its intellectual or linguistic aspect.

The most important reason for using grammar translation methods is the need for the
translator to be able to read documents in the target language. It is also a very important
aspect for a student who wishes to learn a foreign language.

This method is focused on reading and writing. The

translator obtains the ability to read with
comprehension and understanding of the text,
especially literary texts. It would teach the translator
the deductive method that would improve the
translation dramatically.
How Is the Grammar Translation Method Implemented in
The Classroom?
• Using of mother tongue to teach the target language.

• Grammar is taught deductively.

• Memorizing vocabulary items that are taught in the form of word lists.

• Memorizing grammar rules.

• Elaborate explicit teaching of grammar.

• Focusing on morphology and syntax.

• Focusing on reading and writing.

• Reading of difficult texts early in the course.

• The practice focuses on exercises in which students translate sentences or texts

from their mother tongue to the target language and vice versa.

It is surprising to see that the Grammar Translation Method is still in use in some
classrooms. Maybe, it’s because it has some advantages.

Grammar Translation Method Activities

The method may be still implemented in today’s classrooms. Depending on whether your
school tolerates the use of L1 (i.e., the student’s first language), you may adapt the method
accordingly. Assuming that you are a bilingual teacher, here are some activities that you
might try:

1. Ask your students to memorize a rule and apply it to their own sentences.

2. Invite students to memorize a short list of words each day in English and give their
native language equivalent.

3. Ask your students to pick five vocabulary words they like from a text and then
translate them into their mother tongue.

4. Ask the students to translate different language functions (e.g., inviting, making
requests; offering help, asking for clarification, etc.) from their mother tongue to
English.
 5. Ask students to identify a certain part of speech (e.g., verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc.)
from a text. Invite them to translate these words and then use a dictionary to find
synonyms and antonyms.

6. Assign different parts of a text to different groups of students to translate. When

they finish, regroup them to produce the final version of the whole text making the
necessary changes.

7. Ask students to translate their favorite quotes, jokes, idioms, or poem from their
mother tongue to English or vice-versa.

8. Ask students to use google translate or any other translation application to translate
texts and see to what extent the translation was good, making the necessary
changes to improve it.

9. Ask your students to create a blog with different categories (e.g. poems, quotes,
idioms, etc.) to publish their translations.

The Grammar Translation Method Advantages and

Disadvantages
Advantages
• Translation is the easiest and shortest way of explaining the meaning of words and
phrases.

• Learners have no difficulties understanding the lesson as it is carried out in the

mother tongue.

• It is a labor-saving method as the teacher carries out everything in the mother

tongue.

Criticism
• Language learning does not consist of only memorizing a set of rules and
manipulating the syntax and morphology of the target language.

• The translation of sentences or texts can be sometimes misleading.

• What the method is good at is “teaching about the language”, not “teaching the
language”.

• The method focuses on grammar at the level of each sentence, that is, the well-
formedness of sentences according to prescriptive grammarians. Actual data
 suggest that sentence-level grammar does not account for many instances of real
communication.

• Speaking or any kind of spontaneous creative output was missing from the
curriculum.

• Students lacked an active role in the classroom.

• The main focus is on reading and writing at the expense of the speaking and
listening skills.

• Very little attention is paid to real communication.

• Very little attention is paid to motivating content.

• Some sentences can be perfectly grammatical, but they may convey no meaning at
all. Chomsky’s (1957) example – ‘colorless green ideas sleep furiously’ – exemplifies
this perfectly well. Although this sentence is grammatical, it is nonsensical.

• Grammar is not absolute and fixed. Grammar rules may change not only
diachronically through historical linguistic evolution but also synchronically, through
dialectal variations

Because of all these disadvantages, teachers tried to find better ways to remedy the pitfalls
of the Grammar Translation Method. The Direct Method was the answer.

Summary
The grammar translation
methods are very useful to
translators. This is not the
sole method for translators
to use at Circle Translations,
but it could sometimes come
in handy. It would be
especially helpful when
translating difficult texts.