GUEST EDITOR
Ping Yang
Western Sydney University
GUEST EDITORIAL: RESEARCHING TRANSLATION TEACHING AND LEARNING ON THE MOVE FORWARD
Ping Yang
Western Sydney University 1 – 9 FULL TEXT
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TOURISM ONLINE: (IN)ACCESSIBILITY OF LOCAL COLOR RELATING TO ARCHITECTURE TERMS
Tanja Pavlović 10 – 44 FULL TEXT
University of Tuzla
Sanel Hadžiahmetović Jurida
University of Tuzla
Abstract
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a country rich in history and culture, has for centuries been at the crossroads between the West and the East, which has resulted in quite a mixture of cross-cultural elements that pose many obstacles for translators. As the issues of tourism-language translation have been relatively underexplored in BiH, this article attempts to investigate the extent to which the translators of tourism-related content available online succeeded in making the local color of architecture-related terms accessible to foreign visitors. The article also examines whether the issue of accessibility of local color was addressed adequately by local translators. Many formal and informal online sources were used for the selection of prominent cultural terms and their English translations, which were analyzed in terms of lexis and semantics. We identified many examples where the cultural content was made accessible to the target audience, as well as examples where the transfer of the cultural content was done less successfully. In cases where translators experienced difficulty while transferring cultural terms, we attempted to draw prospective translators’ attention to potential pitfalls in the process of cultural mediation in translation from BiH’s official languages into English.
Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina, tourism online, mediation, (in)accessibility, local color, translation, architecture
Children’s audio description for the PRACTICE of MEDIATION and the acquisition of vocabulary in foreign languages
Ramírez Barroso, Elia Ramírez Barroso 45 – 76 FULL TEXT
Universidad de Córdoba 77 – 108
Abstract
Even though teaching methods have evolved, translation remains an important and useful tool in the second language classroom (Lertola, 2018). Teachers have been adapting translation exercises to the new teaching trends, and this has allowed AVT to gain a new dimension as a didactic tool (Alonso Pérez & Sánchez Requena, 2018). Some researchers have already conducted projects to implement AVT modes to enhance students’ linguistic skills, but also to encourage intercultural education. Regarding DAT studies, the main modes that have been employed are dubbing and subtitling. However, accessibility modes like AD and SDH have not yet received as much academic attention as they deserve. A type of AD that has been ignored in academic fields is children’s AD. When creating a script for a children’s program, it is crucial to consider the specific needs of this group. This article discusses a case study in which an interactive activity based on children’s AD is employed to help English as a foreign language students practice their mediation skills and acquire vocabulary related to feelings and emotions while also developing their creativity. The results of the experiment show that students perceive that they have developed their creativity and their vocabulary and that the activity has helped them be more aware of the importance of accessibility nowadays.
Keywords: accessibility, adaptation, children’s audio description, didactic audiovisual translation, language teaching
COLOUR AS A METACOGNITION ENHANCING STRATEGY IN SCIENTIFIC TRANSLATORS’ EDUCATION
Maite Teresa Veiga-Diaz 77 – 108 FULL TEXT
The University of Vigo
Abstract
Colour is one of the codes that has proved successful in helping students retrieve knowledge, become aware of their strengths and weaknesses and provide them with an opportunity to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence effectively. Using descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing, this paper presents a comparative analysis of the performance of an experimental group of students who received colour-coded feedback and a control group of students who received non-coded feedback. The analysis is aimed at determining the contribution of colour-coded feedback to successful error identification and correction and the development of metacognitive activity. The results of this study point to more successful error correction in self-revisions and improved performance in translation, revision and reflection tasks among the students who received colour-coded feedback. This project is suggestive of enhanced metacognition, particularly for the specificities of scientific and technical translation.
Keywords: colour coding, metacognitive bundling, constructive feedback, scientific translation, translator education
EUROPEAN UNION LAW IN TRANSLATION: CORE PRINCIPLES AND USEFUL TOOLS FOR UNDERGRADUATE TRANSLATION COURSES
Marco Neves 109 – 131 FULL TEXT
NOVA University Lisbon / CETAPS
Abstract
The translation of European Union (EU) law can be seen as a specific case of international law translation and thus relevant only to legal translators. The author argues that concepts related to EU law and tools developed by the EU to support translators should be taught as early as possible to all undergraduate students of translation. This is due to two specificities of European law: it covers a great range of different areas, many of them of a technical nature, thus being useful to many (if not all) translators outside the legal field; and it is mentioned in many non-legal texts, from catalogues to journalistic texts. Therefore, professional translators are bound to find references to EU law throughout their careers and should know how to deal with them and how to avoid common pitfalls. Furthermore, tools created by the European Union — terminology tools, publicly available translation memories, and provision of legislation in multilingual format — are very useful to any translator and knowing how to use them is a skill essential to translation professionals. This study will make suggestions for teaching principles, tools and common sources of translation errors related to EU law to students who do not have any form of legal training.
Keywords: EU law, legal translation, European translation, translation teaching
INTRODUCING WELL-BEING TO THE TRANSLATION CLASSROOM: INSIGHTS FROM THE TRENCHES OF COVID-19
Sonja Kitanovska-Kimovska, Vladimir Cvetkoski, Katarina Gjurchevska-Atanasovska, and Solzica Popovska
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje 132 – 184 FULL TEXT
Abstract
The abrupt and profound changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a variety of social and personal situations that negatively affected the well-being of teachers and students in higher education thus producing serious emotional strain. Previous research shows that satisfactory student performance can be obtained in an online class when it is accompanied by psychosocial support tools, such as enrichment and remediation tutorials, academic advising, guidance and counselling programs, fitness and wellness resources, spiritual formation activities and faculty-student consultation. This paper aims to test the effectiveness and the perception of well-being and participative activities in the translation classroom. It presents the findings of a pilot intervention implemented with 42 translation students. The intervention is based on the PERMA theory of well-being and tests 9 well-being and participative techniques. The methodology combines pre- and post-intervention questionnaires and the analysis combines quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings suggest that although there are no significant quantitative differences, students’ perceptions are positive. Suggestions are discussed together with possible implications for the future.
Keywords: psychosocial support, well-being, teaching methods, higher education, translation education
MACHINE TRANSLATION: PERCEPTION OF TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING STUDENTS IN TURKEY
Erdinç Aslan 185 – 216 FULL TEXT
Marmara University Istanbul
Abstract
This paper focuses on how machine translation is perceived by students in the Department of Translation and Interpreting at Marmara University in Turkey. For this purpose, a total of 140 (95 females and 45 males) third- and fourth-year students were recruited through a random sampling. They responded to a paper-and-pen questionnaire with 16 statements about their perception of machine translation. Descriptive statistics was performed to analyse the data. The findings show that most students are knowledgeable about machine translation. In addition, students perceive that using machine translation has benefits, such as saving time, making the translator's job easier, and improving translation competence. However, more than one-third of the student's knowledge level on this subject is partially sufficient. This study can contribute to creating course content for the more effective presentation of machine translation (MT) courses taught in translation and interpreting departments.
Keywords: machine translation, translation, translator, translation technologies, translation training
MEASURING THE “INVISIBLE”: CLARIFYING THE CONCEPT OF COGNITIVE EFFORT IN TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING PROCESSES
Deyan Zou, Jiadong Zhang 217 – 258 FULL TEXT
Dalian University of Foreign Languages
Abstract
Although translation and interpreting (T&I) involve multiple cognitive processes, the role of cognitive effort is often overlooked and needs to be conceptualized more fully to better understand the complexity of these tasks. This article seeks to “measure the invisible” by 1) exploring its definition and application in existing research, 2) conducting a multidimensional analysis based on cost and reward, and 3) highlighting its relevance to T&I research and education. Our framework includes internal cost, opportunity cost, need for cognition, and learned industriousness. This allows for a more precise measurement of effort and a better understanding of individual differences and task requirements in T&I research. For education, the framework offers insights into strategies for managing workload, distributing practice, and developing adaptive expertise. By clarifying the multidimensional nature of cognitive effort, we can improve T&I research and develop sustainable practices for practitioners.
Keywords: cognitive effort, translation and interpreting (T&I), internal cost, opportunity cost, need for cognition, learned industriousness
REVOLUTIONIZING TRANSLATOR TRAINING THROUGH HUMAN-AI COLLABORATION: INSIGHTS AND IMPLICATIONS FROM INTEGRATING GPT-4
Hussein Abu-Rayyash 259 – 301 FULL TEXT
Kent State University
Abstract
As artificial intelligence transforms the landscape of language technologies, advanced natural language processing models like GPT-4 are poised to revolutionize translator training paradigms. This mixed-methods study examined the integration of GPT-4 into translator education to harness its potential while retaining human expertise as the core. Structured translation prompts demonstrated GPT-4’s prowess in technical translations, but the model faces challenges in capturing complex literary and cultural subtleties, necessitating measured integration approaches. Interviews with experts in AI-enabled pedagogy advocated blended learning models judiciously combining GPT-4’s capabilities with immersive human training focused on creativity and cultural awareness. Direct observations of translator trainees showed benefits from GPT-4 usage, like personalized feedback and the need for human collaboration in complex cases. Cross-case analysis revealed variances in aptitude across diverse text genres and subjects, demanding tailored deployment strategies. While recognizing the risks associated with overdependence and taking into account ethical considerations, findings indicate an immense potential for GPT-4 to enrich pedagogy if integrated prudently in a human-centric manner. This underscores a balanced approach harnessing AI to amplify competencies without compromising the irreplaceable human essence underpinning high-quality, ethical translation.
Keywords: ChatGPT, Translation, GPT-4, Translator training, Human-AI collaboration
TRANSLATION TRAINING: THE USE OF AUTHENTIC PROJECTS
Diamantoula Korda 302 – 337 FULL TEXT
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Abstract
This paper aspires to shed light on the pedagogical aspects of translation and, more specifically, the training of novice translators. The aim of the paper consists of testing how translation is best taught via empirical channels and in conjunction with retrospective comments. The project under investigation was conducted in the Department of English Language and Literature of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (November 2021) and involved postgraduate students pursuing their master’s degrees. The project, in which the students were involved, was authentic in that it was situated in realistic circumstances since they were requested to perform a real translation task for a volume to be published, reaching out to readers other than the course instructor. Students were initially asked to translate a text collaboratively. After the completion of the translation task, they were asked to critically reflect upon their translation practice by writing an essay and explicitly exploring the benefits of such a procedure. According to their comments, the use of an authentic project, in an otherwise theoretical class, paid off since they found that their perspective was broadened, and their practice became conscious throughout the different stages. More specifically, among others, they highlighted that their critical thinking was sharpened, their collaboration skills improved, and their self-reflection proved to be a powerful tool guiding their decision-making. The case study could be further enhanced if another type of text was chosen [literary extracts], another setting was selected [undergraduate courses] or more stakeholders would be involved.
Keywords: translation teaching, translation methodology, authentic project, new paradigm
Word order variation in advanced students’ translation tasks: a learner corpus-based analysis
Rudy Loock 338 – 375 FULL TEXT
University of Lille and CNRS Research unit ‘Savoirs, Textes, Langage’
Abstract
In this article, we analyze a learner corpus of English-to-French translation tasks produced by advanced students enrolled in their final year of a professional translation master’s program. Specifically, we investigate their use of so-called non-standard, non-SVO word order structures: clefting, pseudo-clefting, dislocation, extraposition, and inversion. We aim to confirm students’ tendency to overuse SVO word order in their translations in comparison with original French and to provide a finer-grained analysis of their (non-)use of non-standard structures. Complementary analyses on a corpus of machine-translated texts and a corpus of professional translations provide further comparisons. Thanks to an approach where corpus material is used to assist students in the development of their translation skills, all these results are meant to have pedagogical value, by highlighting the specificities of student translations to help them write more authentic texts that take into account language use related to word order. The comparison with machine-translated texts is intended to help students develop post-editing skills.
Keywords: translation training, translation quality, word order variation, specialized translation, post-editing