From Training to Professional Practice and Vice Sight Translation as a Specialisation Subject in the Interpreter Training Programme of the School of Translators (original) (raw)
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Merit Research Journal of Education and Review (ISSN: 2350-2282) Vol. 11(9) pp. 160-174, November, 2023, 2023
The remarkable increase in the number of interpretation training programmes across the world for the past twenty or thirty years (Gile, 2009) has given way to an increasing interest in evaluating these programmes. This evaluation, while it may not be comprehensive, should an evaluation ever be so, can simply be limited to considering a particular aspect of a programme. Sight translation is a fairly common exercise present in interpreter training programmes. However, its relevance and/or its pedagogical weight are sometimes questioned according to the context and level in the training process. This article aims at contributing to this debate. It therefore takes as case study, the interpreter training programme of the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (ASTI) of the University of Buea in Cameroon and based on statistical data, looks into the place occupied by sight translation in the professional practice by graduates of this programme, between 2008 and 2015. The results, which are quite edifying, are supportive of maintaining and even reinforcing this exercise in the programme, given the peculiarity of the Cameroonian professional context and the African context in general.
Difficulties of Sight Translation: Training Translators to Sight Translate
From time immemorial, translation has always been described as an exercise of intercultural communication. Undoubtedly, this exercise requires more and more training of translators to fulfill different translation tasks as effectively and efficiently as possible. Translator training has thus received undivided attention in training institutions all over the world. Drawing on findings of previous research, this article argues that sight translation remains an optimal invariable tool for interpreter training; yet it fails to exert any influence and presence in such training. The article further addresses theoretical and teaching methodological issues, and offers insights into an eminently pedagogical problem gained from an analysis of genuine output of two MA translation students who sat for the comprehensive exam at Al-Quds University for the scholastic year 2013–2014. The article shows serious problems in the translation task assigned to the students and, based on the analysis of their translations, it proposes pedagogical tools that may hopefully help to overcome sight translation intricacies.
A Critical Review of Theories and Approaches to Interpreter Training Programme Evaluation
A Critical Review of Theories and Approaches to Interpreter Training Programme Evaluation, 2023
The number of programmes offering interpreter training courses tremendously increased over the years and in many parts of the world. Caminade and Pym (1995) list more than 250 university programmes in more than 60 countries, but since the 1990s, many more programmes been decided to set up MTIs, Masters in Translation and Interpreting 2009:17). This has led to programme evaluation becoming increasingly relevant as a research sub interested in interpreter tra interest, the current methods, and approaches 2000s to guide programme evaluation, especially training evaluation. researchers in the sub purpose of the evaluation and its expected outcomes. Until more tools emerge, this contribution may stand as a of theoretical tools to evaluate complete training programmes or specific aspects related is all the more useful as conference interpretation is a relatively academic discipline. the new pool of researchers who are emerging and specialising in interpretation research in Cameroon and beyond with a useful and ready use tool for interpreter training
This study examines the profile of the translator in Cameroon and posits that the translating activity is increasingly becoming part of the translation service, reflecting the market expectation to train translation service providers rather than translators. The paper demonstrates that the translation profession as it is performed in the field and portrayed in job adverts reveals that a wide range of employers are looking for translators and their services. A survey of the Cameroonian translation market was carried out to raise awareness of the language skills translators need in order to work successfully as language services providers. The data for this study was obtained from 36 professional translators drawn from the public service, the freelance and in-house corporate translation market in Cameroon. The study argues that today's new translator's profile and his activities are basically variants of interlingual communication in which the traditional concept of translation constitutes only one option and that these 'add-ons,' which contribute to a better professionalization of the translator, pose new challenges to translation pedagogy in terms of both content and methodology. In this vein the study proposes a translational language teaching model aimed at making training more responsive to market exigencies in this era of modernization.
2015
From time immemorial, translation has always been described as an exercise of intercultural communication. Undoubtedly, this exercise requires more and more training of translators to fulfill different translation tasks as effectively and efficiently as possible. Translator training has thus received undivided attention in training institutions all over the world. Drawing on findings of previous research, this article argues that sight translation remains an optimal invariable tool for interpreter training; yet it fails to exert any influence and presence in such training. The article further addresses theoretical and teaching methodological issues, and offers insights into an eminently pedagogical problem gained from an analysis of genuine output of two MA translation students who sat for the comprehensive exam at Al-Quds University for the scholastic year 2013-2014. The article shows serious problems in the translation task assigned to the students and, based on the analysis of th...
International Journal Humanitatis Theoreticus, Vol.3, Issue 1, posted on June 30, 2020, available at www.integhumanitatis.com , 2020
This article takes a semi-longitudinal picture of ASTI's translation instructional model in action. It is grounded in the data about classroom interactions, events and life collected without a prior hypothesis. The findings that emerge from the analysis highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of the ASTI model in action with reference to professional realism and social utility. It stands out, for instance, that ASTI is broadly wanting in entrepreneurial preparation of its graduates. However, it empowers these graduates in specific language and cognitive abilities such as higher order thinking skills and creativity on which hinges employability in the Global Age. Beyond the language industry and general labour market, ASTI is a fertile ground for the promotion of official English-French bilingualism and multiculturalism in Cameroon. The article innovates by beating the observer's paradox through the use of cued recall in class observation while the findings are likely to inform ongoing and future reforms of ASTI and other programmes in Cameroon.
This study is titled "The policy of bilingualism and the identity of the professional translator in Cameroon: What Fate for the professional translator and the service consumer?" As umbrella objective, this study is out to bring out the difference between a professional translator and a bilingual person. It is based on the hypotheses that: First, the ignorance of the difference between a professional translator and a bilingual person creates confusion in the minds of people and policy-makers. Second, the confusion of roles originates from the fact that the bilingual and translation programmes offered in State universities in Cameroon are not well spelt out for students.
The Standard Profile of The 21st Century Translator: Implications for Translator Training
This study examines the profile of the translator in Cameroon and posits that the translating activity is increasingly becoming part of the translation service, reflecting the market expectation to train translation service providers rather than translators. The paper demonstrates that the translation profession as it is performed in the field and portrayed in job adverts reveals that a wide range of employers are looking for translators and their services. A survey of the Cameroonian translation market was carried out to raise awareness of the language skills translators need in order to work successfully as language services providers. The data for this study was obtained from 36 professional translators drawn from the public service, the freelance and in-house corporate translation market in Cameroon/ The study argues that today's new translator's profile and his activities are basically variants of inter-lingual communication in which the tradition concept of translation constitutes only one option and these add-ons, which contribute to a better professionalization of the translator pose new challenges to translation pedagogy in terms of both content and methodology. In this vein the study proposes a translational language teaching model aimed at making training more responsive to market exigencies in this era of modernization.
Over the last thirty years or so, the cultural dimension has gained momentum in translation studies (Bassnett & Lefevere, 1990) becoming a critical turning point in the field (Snell-Hornby 2006) and highlighting issues of hybridity, transferability and appropriation in translation. Besides, recent advances in artificial intelligence-its accelerated development and significant impact on translation-open up a variety of pathways for reflection. In legal, financial or medical translation, preferences are gradually shifting from the human translator to machine translation, particularly with the advent of "neural" machine translation (NMT) systems. In a context where professional training, translation memories and software abound, human translators faced with many challenges, (re)consider the survival of their profession. Should we then be
Translation theory and Professional Practice
This paper is the result of a global survey carried out this year to around 1000 translators and interpreters, the majority of whom had university training in the area. The object of the survey was to investigate the habitus of the translator and to compare it with the academic belief in functionalism and the empowerment of the translator either as a mediator or as a social agent. The replies indicated strong responsibility towards the original text, and very little towards the reader or the wider community. Also, while the scholars appear to be convinced that their theories support the professional translator, in practice it would seem that university trained translators (and interpreters) rate theory very low on their list of ideal university training.