Teaching Translation: A Pedagogical Framework ATS School of Thought Basic Concepts By

Arabic and Translation Studies Division Teaching Translation: A Pedagogical Framework ATS School of Thought Basic Concepts By Abdelaziz Hamdy

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT • Unless otherwise stated, all quotations are taken from: • Perspectives and Limitations of a Didactic Framework for the Teaching of Translation • Chapter 3 By Wolfram Wilss • (Translation, Applications and Research. Edited by Richand W. Brislin, East-West Center, Gardens Press, Inc. New York, 1976)

Let’s remember: “Translation Teachingis a subject matter that permits only limited theoretical insights, and can therefore only partially – certainly less than the theory of translation – be systematized and formalized. This is because a pedagogical approach is always less systematic than a theatrical approach.” WolframWilss (1976)

“But in order to understand the nature of translation, the focus should not be on different types of discourse but on the processes and procedures involved in any and all kinds of interlingual communication” (Bell, 1987).” • Eugene A. Nida • Theories of Translation

Please note: • We are Academic in the sense that we are rigorous in attitude and approach, i.e. we are careful, thorough and exact. • We are also Professional in the sense that we can do the job as required, i.e. we are educationally prepared and very well-trained.

What is the difference between a bilingual speaker and a competent translator? A bilingual speaker is the person who can express himself effectively in two languages. A competent translator is the person who knows how to express what other people (want to) say, or what is being said effectively in two languages.

Q: Why do we need translation? • A: In two cases: • Someone needs to understand what is being said in a language he does not speak. • Someone needs to know what is being said – as is – in a language he dos not speak.

There is a difference between: 1- Giving one’s own understanding in a foreign tongue. 2- Giving what is being said or what is written as is in a foreign tongue.

As the case may be: Professional translators will either: 1- Give their understanding or their own take, or belief, or preference of what is being said or what is written. OR 2- Give the best of their competence in recasting in the TL what is being said or written as is.

Q: What do professional translators rely on when they do their job? A: The grammatical relationships which will lead to meaning relationships.

Translation Measurability SL1 SL2 = TL1 TL2 in terms of in terms of

Translation is a science and can be subsumed under Applied Linguistics. Can the process of translation be formalized? Can we change intuition into cognitively-based rules?

The Raw Material is Language • Language is analyzable and can be broken down into clearly discernible units. • There are levels of language analysis that will simply give insight to the complex structure.

Remember • Every language is a new version of life. • Every language is another window on the world. • Every language is “sui generis,” i.e. not classifiable with one another.

BUT REMEMBER: “It is impossible to obtain unexceptionally applicable and exhaustively determined translational rules, because the relation between form and function in linguistic communication is hetermorphous, which means that lexical, syntactic, semantic and stylistic features can interlingually be expressed in different ways.”

Translational Competence: It is the ability to translate common language,technical, documentary and/or literary texts effectively into the target language.

“TC is an interlingual competence clearly marked off from the four traditional monolingual skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.”

“TC is a super-competence requiring as a pre-condition a comprehensive lexical, syntactic and stylistic knowledge of the respective SL & TL and the ability to synchronize these two monolingual knowledge areas to bring about A COMMUNICATIVELY EFFECTIVE INTERLINGUAL TRANSFER.”

“TC is composed of two sub-competences which are in complementary relation and together constitute the basis of TC: • An SL receptive competence, and • A TL reproductive competence.”

“What are the professional minimum qualifications for a translator? To answer this question there are two implications that should be first taken into consideration: The need to differentiate between a number of discourse type-specific competence areas, such as technical translation, common language translation, literary translation and translation for special purposes. The need to differentiate between two competence directions for translation from foreign language to native-tongue and vice versa.”

“Translational competence constitutes the overriding learning target on which all curricular components should be focused: Native-tongue training. Controlled second-language acquisition. Common language. Technical and literary classes. Workshops & seminars”.

“In order that a TT-operational strategy may be developed, it is important to look at the translation process in such a way as to make clear that it is a complex activity that brings various interrelated language levels functionally together”.

Linguistic features for any variety should be studied under the following headings: General features Layout Graphetics and graphology Lexis (vocabulary) Syntax (sentence-structure)

Simple levels of language analysis: 1- Sound Phonology 2- Letter Graphetics and Graphology 3- Word Morphology (Lexis) 4- Sentence Syntax

N.B. Close attention should be paid to the inter-relatedness of all levels and to the contextual inseparability All levels have their own semantic dimensions: Words have a structure Sentences have a structure What is phonologically stressed is usually graphetically and graphologically foregrounded.

Basic structures in a language will set the norm, and consequently will give a “normal” message. Thus we have to be very careful and meticulous about the inter-play of all levels of language analysis in any given text. This inter-play will ultimately show the meaning relationship(s) established.

What is meant by “a normal statement?” It is the statement which does not say anything more nor less than what it appears to declare.

Let us be clear about these two concepts: 1- Grammaticality, which is high standards of correctness. vs 2- Acceptability, which is the norm of usage. And Remember Grammaticality will definitely lead to meaningful messages, whether acceptable or not, whether said or not. Acceptability is what is in conformity with the norms.

* The Translation Unit “The pedagogically easiest-to-handle translation unit is the SENTENCE, because it reveals a self-contained network of the often complicated inter-play of lexis and syntax and, after all, in any translation activity the translator is trying to bring these two language levels, lexis and syntax, functionally together. The sentence, as it is understood here, is a syntactically-structured, communicatively-controlled, context-sensitive combination of linguistic signs that are formally marked off from other sentences of the same text by means of punctuation marks.”

“Within the framework of a sentence-based TT, all teaching methods are permissible that take into account the three factors which constitute the translation result, namely: The communicative intention of the text to be translated. The stylistic competence of the SL text author. The translational competence of the translator.”

The Incorrect Transfer Strategy SL TL Will definitely lead to either: 1- A language error OR 2- A translation error

Remember Even if this transfer strategy leads in a certain case or example to a correct translation, the translation will be considered accidentally correct, and consequently methodologically unreliable.

Translation errors can be precluded by: Identifying the problem areas Pinpointing the linguistic and non-linguistic difficulties Developing adequate transfer techniques

Therefore we need to have a clear methodology for: Building up a hierarchy of translation difficulties Employing error analysis systematically Internalizing translation criticism

The Correct Transfer Strategy SL (1) SL(2) Rethink TL in terms of in terms of in terms of Text requested to be translated Another recast of parts or whole, meant to make sure the linguistic relations are accurately understood

SL (2) should be done on two levels of language analysis: 1- Lexical 2- Syntactic And should be done for two purposes: 1- To understand 2- To facilitate translation

Translation Assessment A good translation is the translation which will observe THREE primary rules which – though inseparable – are relative in actual performance. These are: 1- Ideas 2- Style 3- Original composition

Attention should be paid to: 1- How ideas are expressed. Learn how to manage ideas. 2- How style is made. Learn the making of different styles and modes of expression. 3- How original composition is achieved. Learn the language well enough to master its genius and be aware of its typical spirit.

Re-defining the concept of “Difficulty”: That which is difficult is: - very hard to understand or deal with - beset with problems and causing a lot of trouble Let us learn Difficulty Management

Remember “Literal Translation” means two completely different things in the eye of the layman and of the “professional translator.” To the layman “Literal” is incorrect language, meaningless rendering. To the professional “Literal” is being quite exact, accurate and faithful.

In certain cases, literal translation will be the legitimate and valid method because the syntactic relations are then explicit semantic relations.

Back Translation: In back translation you can only make sure the meaning – in general terms – is conveyed. The factors that guarantee that the translation given is a good one do not apply. 42

THANK YOU

Teaching Translation: A Pedagogical Framework ATS School of Thought Basic Concepts By