translator training and transferable skills
DESCRIPTION
Translator Training and Transferable Skills. Against the Academic / Vocational Dichotomy John Kearns IATIS / ITIA. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Translator Training and Translator Training and Transferable SkillsTransferable Skills
Against the Academic / Against the Academic / VocationalVocational Dichotomy Dichotomy
John Kearns IATIS / ITIAJohn Kearns IATIS / ITIA
Translation & AcademiaTranslation & Academia
““...universities in systems ...universities in systems with strongly academic with strongly academic traditions will not formulate traditions will not formulate their overall aims in the their overall aims in the same way as those with a same way as those with a more vocational tradition. more vocational tradition. One might indeed question One might indeed question whether the former would whether the former would actually be interested in actually be interested in translator training translator training programmes at all!” Dorothy programmes at all!” Dorothy Kelly 2005: 23Kelly 2005: 23
Problems:Problems:a) Pa) Presumes a one-size-fits-allresumes a one-size-fits-all
curricular ideology.curricular ideology.
b) Db) Doesn't sufficientlyoesn't sufficiently acknowledge variation acknowledge variation inin translatortranslator--training culturestraining cultures (especially in terms of different (especially in terms of different levels of development).levels of development).
Practice & AcademePractice & Academe
““...an underlying question in our field and ...an underlying question in our field and indeed in any other professionally oriented indeed in any other professionally oriented programme of university studies is: programme of university studies is: practice practice versusversus academe or practice academe or practice plusplus academe?” Maria Gonzacademe?” Maria Gonzáález Davies 2004: lez Davies 2004: 7979
The Two TraditionsThe Two Traditions
AcademiaAcademia
Development through Development through trivium and trivium and quadriviumquadrivium
von Humboldtvon Humboldt
Newman’s Newman’s Idea of a Idea of a UniversityUniversity
Cultivation of the Cultivation of the MindMind
Vocational EducationVocational Education
ApprenticeshipsApprenticeships
Preparation for a jobPreparation for a job
‘‘Upgrading’ of many Upgrading’ of many vocational institutions vocational institutions to university status in to university status in recent yearsrecent years
Concerns about Concerns about ‘front-end loading’‘front-end loading’
The DilemmaThe Dilemma
Are we training students to work in specific Are we training students to work in specific jobs or are we educating them for lifejobs or are we educating them for life??
Problems with Vocational ModelsProblems with Vocational Models
Universities cannot constantly factor Universities cannot constantly factor technological change in industry into a technological change in industry into a coherent model of translation curriculum coherent model of translation curriculum development (cf. Pym, Esselink).development (cf. Pym, Esselink).
There is no longer one big labour market There is no longer one big labour market for translators anyway.for translators anyway.
Translatorship is not conferred at Translatorship is not conferred at degree awards ceremonies – it is degree awards ceremonies – it is
granted by society.granted by society.
Transferable Skills...Transferable Skills...
...enable mobility between different areas, ...enable mobility between different areas, rather than specific training for one rather than specific training for one particular jobparticular job
...as such, are not typically vocational, (cf. ...as such, are not typically vocational, (cf. Latin)Latin)
Many already exist in what is being taught Many already exist in what is being taught in university curricula (though need to be in university curricula (though need to be highlighted)highlighted)
ReferencesReferencesBelam, Judith (2001) “Transferable Skills in an MT Course.” Belam, Judith (2001) “Transferable Skills in an MT Course.” MT Summit MT Summit VIII: Proceedings of the MT Summit Workshop on Teaching Machine VIII: Proceedings of the MT Summit Workshop on Teaching Machine TranslationTranslation. Eds. Mikel L. Forcada, Juan-Antonio Pérez-Ortiz, and Derek . Eds. Mikel L. Forcada, Juan-Antonio Pérez-Ortiz, and Derek Lewis. Geneva: European Association for Machine TranslationLewis. Geneva: European Association for Machine Translation,, 31-34. 31-34. Galtung, Johan. (1981) “Structure, Culture and Intellectual Style: A Galtung, Johan. (1981) “Structure, Culture and Intellectual Style: A Comparison of Saxonic, Teutonic, Gallic and Nipponic Approaches.” Comparison of Saxonic, Teutonic, Gallic and Nipponic Approaches.” Social Social Science Information Science Information 20:620:6,, 817-856. 817-856. GonzálezGonzález Davies, Maria (2004) Davies, Maria (2004) ““Undergraduate and Postgraduate Undergraduate and Postgraduate Translation Degrees: Aims and Expectations.” Translation Degrees: Aims and Expectations.” Translation in Undergraduate Translation in Undergraduate Degree ProgrammesDegree Programmes. Ed. Kirsten Malmkj. Ed. Kirsten Malmkjæær. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: r. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 67-81.John Benjamins, 67-81.Kelly, Dorothy (2005) Kelly, Dorothy (2005) A Handbook for Translator TrainersA Handbook for Translator Trainers. Manchester: St. . Manchester: St. Jerome.Jerome.Pym, Anthony (2003) “Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Pym, Anthony (2003) “Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Age: In Defence of a Minimalist Approach.” Age: In Defence of a Minimalist Approach.” MetaMeta 48:4 48:4,, 481-497. 481-497. Toury, Gideon (1995) Toury, Gideon (1995) Descriptive Translation Studies and BeyondDescriptive Translation Studies and Beyond. . Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
