Bringing Professional Practices into Translation Classrooms Catherine ...

Bringing Professional Practices into Translation Classrooms Catherine Way Universidad de Granada (Spain) AVANTI Research Group Abstract

In the light of changes in Higher Education, given the Bologna Process and the move towards the EHEA, the need to better prepare our students for the workplace is high on our agendas. The idea of training in competences is not new to Translation Studies trainers who have, for some time now, used different models of translator competence (Krings, 1986; Ammann, 1990; Hurtado, 1995, 2007; Gile, 1995; Neubert, 1994, 2000; PACTE, 1998; Kelly 1999, 2002, 2005) to develop objectives and learning outcomes for their translation programmes. It is evidently easier to provide training in certain competences: communicative and textual, cultural and intercultural, subject area and even professional and instrumental to a certain extent. Other competences prove to be harder to incorporate into training programmes in a structured way. Psycho-physiological or attitudinal competence can be strengthened by introducing students to translation revision, boosting their confidence and their self-concept as members of the translation profession. Likewise it can encourage constructive criticism and help to improve interpersonal competence as they revise their peers’ work before applying the same criteria to their own work. Both interpersonal and strategic competences may also be improved by introducing project management into later stages of courses, providing a clear working framework that emulates professional practice and allows students to see where their strengths and weaknesses lie in their own translator competence. In this paper we propose to present examples of practical ways to introduce both revising translations and project management in translation courses, by using examples of tried and tested methodologies, which have proven to be successful in our translation programme.

Introduction The implantation of the Bologna Process and the need for Higher Education, within the framework of the EHEA, to better prepare our students for the workplace, has lead the academic world to rethink many of the course structures and teaching practices in place to date. Society today requires Higher Education to provide not only training, but also clear careers advice and a real possibility of preparing our graduates for the transition to joining the labour force with relative ease and confidence, and in the best possible conditions. As a result, training in Higher Education must take into account teaching methodologies which bring training closer to professional

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practice. In our field, this implies providing students with the skills and competences required by practising translators in the workplace. The idea of training in competences is not new to Translation Studies where, for some time now, different models of translator competence have been used (Krings, 1986; Ammann, 1990; Hurtado, 1995; Gile, 1995; Neubert, 2000; PACTE, 1998; Kelly 1999, 2002, 2005) to develop objectives and learning outcomes for their translation programmes. Gile (1995) first established what he defined as the components of translation expertise. The debate on translation or translator competence led to the Developing Translation Competence Conference held at the University of Aston in 1997, where authors such as Neubert (1997, 2000) developed earlier proposals. The question of translator competence was taken up in Spain particularly by the PACTE research group of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (1998) and by Kelly (2002, 2005), who both proposed models of translator competence. As these models are wellknown we will not describe them here, however as a guideline, Kelly’s model, which we use, includes: communicative and textual competence in at least two languages; cultural competence; subject area competence; instrumental and professional competence; psycho-physiological or attitudinal competence; interpersonal competence and strategic competence. Besides, Competence-based Curriculum Design or CompetenceBased Training (CBT) has been the central focus of much research, particularly in Spanish universities, for some time now. Proposals such as that of Hurtado Albir (2007: 163-195) are a clear example of how Spanish Translating and Interpreting Faculties have been moving in this direction progressively over the last 20 years. One of the challenges facing translator trainers now is incorporating CBT into their existing programmes. Whilst it is apparently easier to incorporate specific activities to provide training in certain competences: communicative and textual, cultural and intercultural, subject area and even professional and instrumental competence to a certain extent, other competences prove to be harder to incorporate into training programmes in a structured way, particularly interpersonal competence, psycho-physiological competence and strategic competence.

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These particular competences are vital to professional translator training, and whilst Goudec (2007) has clearly pointed out the need for translator students to acquire entrepreneurial skills, other authors have attempted to close the gap suggested by Chesterman and Wagner (2002) between traditional academic translation programmes and real professional practice. In a project performed in collaboration with the Department of International Private Law of the Faculty of Law of the University of Granada, Way (2002, 2004) proposed an activity to improve interpersonal competence, psycho-physiological competence and strategic competence by uniting final year Translation and Law students in a realistic joint venture. The Law students were to resolve a case of International Private Law applying the knowledge acquired throughout their legal training and the Translation students were to provide research skills, summaries and translations of material in languages other than Spanish for the Law students. The project provided very positive results for both groups of students, particularly improving the interpersonal skills and confidence of the Translation students. Later, Calvo (2007) suggested the design of a Freelance Translator Module which may be incorporated into existing Translation programmes. In this module, which Calvo has already put into practice in Spanish universities, she covers the following areas: General Topics: professional profiles, CV, marketing, legal requirements. The Pre-translation Phase: clients, negotiating, fees, prior selfevaluation. The Translation Phase: project management, sequencing tasks, translation process, quality control. The Post-translating Phase: billing and payment, personal management. The module allows translator trainers to incorporate elements such as translation project management into their programmes in a structured form, whilst providing the students with the necessary tools to adapt more easily to the workplace. Project Management has existed as a concept in the business world since the 1930s, however feedback from graduates at the Translation Faculty in Granada has made it clear, in the past, that they are often not confident enough to organise their own work as 133

Bringing Professional Practices into Translation Classrooms

freelancers nor to incorporate themselves into teams for translation projects in their first professional positions. Therefore, it has become apparent that students do not only need to see theoretical methodologies of Project Management, but must become accustomed to working within different frameworks which will provide them with the skills and flexibility required to adapt to professional practice. This implies helping them to learn how to organise themselves and adapt themselves to the situations that they will encounter in the professional world. According to Calvo (2007) students must: • become familiar with effective business and organisational routines and strategies; • learn how to apply and use these strategies flexibly; • become conscious of the processes in play and how to develop them which will also help to build their self-confidence. I would add to this proposal the need to increase their strategic competence and aid them to spot deficiencies in any one competence at any one time in their life-long learning process (Way, 2008). Bearing all of the above in mind, I have developed the following proposal to introduce professional practices into translation classrooms in a structured form, which allows students to see their development and progress. Psycho-physiological or attitudinal competence can be strengthened by introducing students to translation revision, boosting their confidence and their self-concept as members of the translation profession. Besides improving their proofreading and editing skills, it can also encourage constructive criticism and help to improve interpersonal competence as they revise their peers’ work before applying the same criteria to their own work. Both interpersonal and strategic competences may also be improved by introducing project management into later stages of courses, providing a clear working framework that emulates professional practice and allows students to see where their strengths and weaknesses lie in their own translator competence.

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Systematising Tasks in Translation Revision Students are first introduced to the mechanics of revising and editing translations through suggested reading such as Mossop (2001, 2007). At the same time they are introduced to practical examples of just how useful (or not) computer spell checks may be and to the need to revise certain textual elements individually (proper names, figures, etc.). They are then provided with real examples of the revising and editing process from a translation agency, which includes a Translator’s checklist, a Proofreader’s checklist, an Editor’s checklist, a Final checklist and a Feedback form for the translator, proofreader, editor, and client. Once all these aspects have been discussed with examples of proofread texts, sample outcomes and revised translations, they are ready to begin putting the practices discussed into practice. In our experience with students it is, however, often easier to revise the work of others rather than one’s own work. Whilst Mossop (2007:9) considers that revision of others’ work should not be included at undergraduate level, he also underlines the fact that fewer errors are detected by self-revision, whilst the “fresh eye of another (often more experienced) translator” is likely to approach the target text as a first reader (Mossop, 2007: 117). We have found that students are well prepared to undertake these tasks in their final year. The students are first asked for a period of some seven weeks of a 15-week semester to revise the work of their peers using track changes and by being introduced to the Evaluation Sheet which they will use for each text. It is true, as Mossop suggests (2007: 10) that students need to internalize principles and procedures. Thus, the Evaluation Sheet (below) is an attempt to help them systematise their revision techniques.

Translation/Exercise Group

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English language/style Is the punctuation correct? Is the spelling correct? Is the grammar correct? Is the style used appropriate? Is the style consistent?

Yes

No

Number/list of errors

Terminology

Yes

No

Number/list of errors

Yes

No

Number/list of errors

Yes

No

Number/list of errors

Is the terminology correct? Is the terminology consistent? Accuracy/content Does the content accurately reflect the OT? Are there any unjustified omissions? Does the translator fulfill the translation brief? Format Is the format correct for the brief? Are formal elements (figures/symbols/etc) used correctly?

First page of the Evaluation Sheet Alternative terminology

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Bringing Professional Practices into Translation Classrooms Alternative discourse/expressions

Reverse of Evaluation sheet (reduced in size) After the first seven weeks applying this methodology to their peers’ translations, the students are then asked to revise only their own translations applying the same methodology and criteria. Systematising Project Management In the same way, the students are introduced, at the beginning of the 15-week semester, to the concept of project management by providing them with a Project Management Sheet (below). Both in an introductory class and in tutorials the different roles involved are discussed and delimited, whilst stressing the usefulness of taking advantage of any strengths group members may have for peerlearning. Post

Name

Total Time Taken

Difficulties

Group No. Project Manager Researcher Terminologist Translator (s)

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Editor Revisor

Project Management Sheet The Project Management Sheet (seen here in a reduced form) forces the students to reflect on the different elements coming into play in the translation process. Each group member is expected to assume one of the roles, with additional guidance on any overlapping and the need for coordination between the roles. They are also required to rotate the roles, so that each group member must assume all of the different roles. This helps the students to perceive their strengths and weaknesses and see where there may be need for improvement in some of their competences. The column concerning time control is meant to make the students aware of the time that they take initially to complete their tasks, whilst describing the difficulties that they encountered in the final column. The Project Management Sheet is presented in class before the translation and its revised version are seen. Thus, greater attention is drawn to the process before even considering the product. The group presents their description of the translation process and the whole class discuss the difficulties encountered, suggesting solutions which may avoid the same difficulties in the future. In this way, the whole class may benefit from the experience of only one or two groups who have undertaken a particular translation project and may share their own experiences and suggestions. Post Group No. Project Manager

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Name A

Total Time Taken

Difficulties

75 minutes

Distributing work, arranging meetings, setting schedule and deadlines

Bringing Professional Practices into Translation Classrooms

Researcher

B

175 minutes

Terminologist

C

167 minutes

Translator (s)

D

140 minutes

Editor

E

125 minutes

Revisor

F

90 minutes

Finding parallel texts, researching both legal systems Finding equivalents, conceptual differences Archaic language, register, deciding which translation decision to make Formatting, checking omissions Punctuation, grammar, checking accuracy

Example week 1 This table reflects the first translation project of the semester when students are facing complex legal texts for the first time, after an introductory 15-week course in Economic and Legal Translation in their third year of the four-year degree. As the semester progresses and each group’s difficulties are discussed before assessing their translations, the students progressively reduce the time needed for each task, despite the fact that the translations become gradually longer and more complex. Results The gradual introduction and development of this system into final year translation courses has proved that students are able to systematise their work methods, whilst rotating roles enables students to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in their different areas of competence (see Way, 2008). The importance of peer learning is paramount, as group members with strengths in a particular role (organisational or computer skills for example) share their knowledge with other group members and with the whole class by means of often animated discussions of each group’s perception of the main problems encountered and the solutions that may be used to solve them.

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180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

Translator Project Manager Researcher Terminologist Editor Revisor Minutes Week1

5

12

15

Graph time progression The graph represents the different times taken to complete projects over a 15-week final year course. The students are periodically encouraged to review their earlier Project Management Sheets and to track evolution, particularly in the time taken to complete tasks and in their ability to find solutions to problems. The visible results, as seen in the graph, boost self-confidence (psychophysiological competence), whilst at the same time instrumental and interpersonal competences improve, and students feel more confident about their imminent incorporation into the professional market. Conclusion We understand effective training to include not only the detection of those areas where students may improve their translator competence, but also the provision of tools for them to develop systematic work practices and to find effective solutions, whilst encouraging the development of their ability to assess their own work (and that of others) and to be able to cast a critical eye at their own translator competence (see Way 2008). Our aim has been to provide students with the tools to assess the development of their ability to revise and edit the work of other translators, as well as their own work (vital for freelance translators). They are also introduced to the different roles 140

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in translation projects, which not only improves their own instrumental and interpersonal competences, but also boosts their confidence (psychophysiological competence) whilst improving their overall strategic competence too. The implementation of these tools has lead to dramatic results (particularly for weaker students) and has caused a dramatic improvement in overall results for students following the course. Whilst projects such as that suggested by Vandepitte (in this volume) of creating a translation agency or practicum during translator training are undoubtedly invaluable for students, this proposal provides them with the tools to undertake such a task once they have internalised certain work practices and enjoy greater confidence in their translator competence. Bibliography Adab, B. (2000). Evaluating Translation competence. In C. Schäffner & B. Adab (Eds.), Developing Translation Competence (pp. 215-28). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Ammann, M. (1990). Grundlagen der modernen Translationstheorie – Ein Leitfaden für Studieren. Heidelberg: Universität. Calvo Encinas, E. (2007) Gestión de proyectos para traductores autónomos: aproximaciones formativas. In Emilio Ortega Arjonilla & Nobel-Augusto Perdu Honeyman (Eds.) Inmigración, Cultura y Traducción: Reflexiones Interdisciplinares (pp.95-106), Almeria, Editorial Universidad De Almeria . Calvo Encinas , E. and Morón Martín, M. (forthcoming). A project to boost and improve employability chances among Translation and Interpreting graduates in Spain. In Proceedings of “Newcastle University Conference on Interpreter and Translator Training and Assessment (NU-CITTA), Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK, 9-10 September 2007. Chesterman, A & Wagner, E. (2002). Can Theory Help Translators? A Dialogue between the ivory Tower and the Workplace. Manchester: St. Jerome. Gile, D. (1995). Basic Concepts and Models for Interpreter and Translator Training. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Gouadec,D. (2007). Translation as a profession. Ámsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Gregorio Cano, A., Ilhami, N. & Vigier Moreno, F. (forthcoming). Enhancing Career Opportunities for Translation and Interpreting Students through Professional Realism. In Proceedings of “Newcastle University Conference on Interpreter and Translator Training and Assessment (NU-CITTA), Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK, 9-10 September 2007. Hurtado Albir, A., (1995). La didáctica de la traducción. Evolución y estado actual. In P. Fernández Nistal & J. M. Bravo Gozalo (Coords.), Perspectivas de la Traducción Inglés/Español. Tercer Curso Superior de Traducción (pp.4974). Valladolid: Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación. Hurtado Albir, A. (2007). Competence-based Curriculum Design for Training Translators, The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 1, (2), 163-95.

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Bringing Professional Practices into Translation Classrooms Kelly, D. (1999). Proyecto docente e investigador, Granada: Universidad de Granada. Kelly, D. (2002). La competencia traductora: bases para el diseño curricular, Puentes, 1, 9-20. Kelly, D. (2005). A handbook for Translator Trainers. Manchester: St. Jerome. Krings, Hans P. (1986). Was in den Köpfen von Übersetzern vorgeht. Eine empirische Untersuchung zur Struktur des Übersetzungprozesses an fortgeschrittenen Französischlernern. Tübingen: Narr. Mossop, B. (2001, 2007). Revising and Editing for Translators, Manchester: St. Jerome. Neubert, A. (1994). Competence in Translation: a complex skill, how to study and how to teach it. In M. Snell-Hornby, F. Pöchhacker & K. Kaindl (Eds.), Translation Studies: An Interdiscipline (pp.411-20), Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Neubert, A. (2000). Competence in language, in languages, and in translation. In C. Schäffner & B. Adab (Eds.), Developing Translation Competence (pp.3-18). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. PACTE (1998). Procesos de aprendizaje y evaluación en la adquisición de la competencia traductora. Paper presented in the EST Congress: EST/Universidad de Granada. Schaffner, C. & Adab, B. (Eds.) (2000). Developing Translation Competence, Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Vandepitte, S. (2009) Entrepreneurial Competences in Translation Training. In: Kemble, I. (Ed.): Proceedings of the 8th Portsmouth Translation Conference on The Changing Face of Translation (pp.120-130), Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth. Way, C. (2002). Traducción y derecho: iniciativas para desarrollar la colaboración interdisciplinar, Puentes, 2, 15-26. Way, C. (2004). Making theory reality: An example of interdisciplinary cooperation. In G. Androulakis (Ed.) Proceedings of “Translating in the 21st Century: Trends and Prospects”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, 27-30 September 2002 (pp. 584-592), Thessaloniki: Faculty of Arts AUTH. Way, C. (2008). Systematic assessment of translator competence: in search of Achilles’ heel. In J. Kearns (Ed.) Translator and Interpreter Training: Issues, Methods and Debates (pp. 88-102), London: Continuum Publishers.

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