ISSN: 1579-9794
Hikma 23(2) (2024), 1 - 4
SCHMIDHOFER, ASTRID; CEREZO HERRERO, ENRIQUE.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING IN TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING
PROGRAMMES. PETER LANG, 2021, 226 PP., ISBN 978-3-631-
84988-0
Foreign language training in translation and interpreting programmes is
an essential research book for lecturers and researchers who teach
languages on Translation and Interpreting programmes. This book draws
attention to an area that is still too often neglected in the field of Translation
Studies: the teaching of foreign languages to translator and interpreter
trainees. Accompanied by a very engaging introduction and a neat and
comprehensive conclusion, this volume unites a variety of authors who offer
diverse perspectives on this issue, resulting in engaging and intellectually
stimulating literature.
The first chapter, written by Enrique Cerezo Herrero and Astrid
Schmidhofer, provides an overview of TILLT (Translation and Interpreting
Language Learning and Teaching) and its evolution from genesis to the
present. In recent years, there has been a significant growth in the field of
TILLT research. Based on the evidence collected, the authors propose several
alternative avenues for research and underscore multiple lacunae in the field
that warrant attention in future academic discourse. The authors emphasise
throughout this chapter how crucial it is to focus future research efforts on the
unique place of foreign language teaching within TI (Translation and
Interpreting) programmes, which they argue should be handled differently
from other educational environments.
Building upon the subjects covered in the first chapter, Eva Seidl
presents a small-scale classroom-based study. Among all classroom students
surveyed, 50% believed that it was imperative to independently plan their
language learning processes. According to the author (Seidl 2021, 117),
students of Translation and Interpreting must develop the skills required to
participate in relevant knowledge communities. This suggests that this meta-
competence should receive special emphasis within the TILLT framework.
The third chapter, authored by Melita Koletnik, proffers recommendations for
targeted vocabulary enhancement and grammar acquisition. She outlines how
language instruction for translators, and by extension interpreters, has been
firmly entrenched in the realm of specialised language learning due to its
demand-driven nature and the distinctiveness of content required by
prospective translators. While scholars have begun to address the specific
exigencies and inquiries pertinent to this domain, there remains a dearth of
scholarly inquiry into the most effective pedagogical strategies. Equally
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imperative is the educator’s capacity to discern the idiosyncratic language
required of their students, align this with educational objectives, and formulate
new resources or adapt existing ones.
After situating her research within the TILLT framework, Silvia Roiss
goes on to present an action-oriented teaching model for TILLT. Her multi-
phase model is based on a textbook analysis and a qualitative survey
conducted with first- and fourth-year students, as well as graduates currently
working as practitioners in the industry. The model incorporates self-
organisation and self-responsibility, goal, product and market orientations,
integration of different teaching modalities, and social learning to help
students apply knowledge to their overall professionalisation.
Gender perspectives have also emerged as a significant topic in the
field of language studies, gaining particular relevance in the context of
professionalisation. Lupe Romero deals with how perspectives on gender can
be integrated into the Italian L2 classroom for trainee translators and
interpreters. The general objective of this pilot project was to introduce gender
as a topic of study on eight undergraduate modules offered at the Universidad
Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) during academic year 2020-2021. To
accomplish this objective, it was essential to conduct a thorough assessment
of the eight obligatory subject areas to pinpoint possible opportunities for
incorporating gender. Subsequently, she developed instructional modules that
emphasise perspectives on gender in those eight selected subjects.
The next chapter delves into the application of a Massive Open Online
Course (MOOC) for the German language instruction of translators and
interpreters. The course is meticulously structured around cognitive
approaches. The findings of this chapter suggest a close connection between
the principles of neuroscience and learning, and the relevance of this
knowledge to the field of foreign language instruction. Nonetheless, it is crucial
to take into account additional factors, including the practical requirements of
the educator. Heather Adams highlights the importance of functional rather
than theoretical foreign language instruction. She also discusses how foreign
language instructors can assist Translation and Interpreting undergraduate
students in honing their grammar.
To enhance student engagement, Laura Cruz-García endeavours to
integrate audiovisual translation with foreign language instruction in TI
programmes. This approach immerses students in quasi-authentic tasks that
leverage their existing knowledge. Students are instructed, for example, to
condense original texts through reduction techniques, necessitating a
nuanced understanding of entire sentences and subtitles as discrete
elements. Furthermore, students are urged to apply their grammatical
proficiency when formulating subtitles, recognising the significance of
linguistic accuracy in text production.
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In the final chapter, Ulrike Oster focuses on the language training needs
of future interpreters, analysing some cognitive aspects of interpreting, like the
representation of bilingual lexical knowledge and the constraints imposed by
interpreting on language comprehension and production processes.
The literature reviewed within the book as a whole provides a
comprehensive foundation for translation theory and practice, covering works
of influential authors from Amparo Hurtado Albir to Anthony Pym. Their
contributions have been instrumental in the development of competency-
based models for training translators. Furthermore, Anthony Pym’s extensive
research on translator training, ethics, and cross-cultural communication plays
a crucial role in laying the groundwork for a standardised reference framework
within the translation field.
It is imperative to conduct further research to examine the disparities
between teaching a foreign language and teaching a translation-oriented
language, with a specific focus on the development of appropriate teaching
methodologies. It is crucial for researchers to regard TILLT (Teaching a
Foreign Language vs. Teaching a Translation-Oriented Language) from the
standpoint of students, employing an empirical approach to comprehend
students' perceptions of their own language learning processes. Discourse on
the concept of "competence" should centrally consider its significance in the
context of the professional marketplace. Moreover, there is a need to explore
how gender is addressed in the translation classroom and to examine gender-
related concepts such as "inclusive language", considering frameworks for
how to integrate these into teaching practices. Developing a precise method
grounded in cognitive processes for translators and interpreters is also of
paramount importance. It is evident that educators tend to prioritise
comprehension over production and written skills over verbal skills in
educational practice. Future research endeavours should strive to achieve a
balance in the emphasis placed on these skills to better equip trainees for the
demands of the translation and interpreting fields and their prospective
careers. This perspective is particularly relevant to contexts wherein practical
application of foreign language knowledge is essential. Additionally, the
creation of subtitles can be a valuable language-learning activity, engaging
with grammatical principles and formal linguistic accuracy, both of which are
fundamental for generating high-quality subtitles. Lastly, the limited emphasis
on oral skills in university curricula highlights the necessity of establishing a
strong linguistic foundation for aspiring translators and interpreters.
The need for a common language learning framework in translation and
interpreting studies cannot be overstated. Translation and interpreting present
formidable challenges from a neurocognitive standpoint, particularly in the
bidirectional cognitive processes involved in translating from an L1 into an L2.
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The mechanisms governing the interaction of languages and the formation of
new content in an L2 while processing information in an L1 remain enigmatic.
A standardised framework is instrumental in delineating the essential
competencies and the professional trajectories required of individuals aiming
to become proficient interpreters or translators. However, it is my contention
that further neurocognitive investigations need also to be conducted on
bilingual Spanish subjects. Delving into the neurocognitive structures of
Spaniards with English as their second language and exploring the didactic
applications of these findings in educational settings holds significant promise.
Undertaking comprehensive research in this domain will yield valuable
insights with far-reaching implications for language education and pedagogy.
REFERENCES
Cerezo Herrero, E. (2015). English language teaching for translators and
interpreter trainees: Syllabus analysis and design. Quaderns, 22,
289–306.
Hurtado Albir, A. (2017). Researching Translation Competence by PACTE
Group. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Koletnik, M. (2020). Teaching future translators language through translation
– Does it help their translating? Current Trends in Translation
Teaching and Learning E, 7, 314–356.
Pym, A. (2003). Redefining translation competence in an electronic age. In
defence of a minimalist approach. Meta (Montréal), 48(4), 481-497.
Roiss, S. (2015). DaF für Übersetzer: Die zielgruppengerechte Vermittlung
unter lernpsychologischen, methodologischen und textlinguistischen
Aspekten. In M. A. Recio Ariza, B. Santana López, M. De la Cruz
Recio, & P. Zimmermann González (Eds.), Interacciones,
Wechselwirkungen: Reflexiones en torno a la Traducción e
Interpretación del/al Alemán (pp. 77–91). Frankfurt: Peter Lang.
Romero, L. (2018). Medir la progresión de la compresión lectora en la
enseñanza de lengua extranjera para traductores: Una experiencia
de evaluación. Cadernos de Tradução, 38(2), 320–338.
Seidl, E., & Janisch, E. (2019). What a difference language training makes in
translator training. In M. Koletnik & N. Froeliger (Eds.), Translation
and Language Teaching: Continuing the Dialogue (pp. 171–188).
Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
[MARÍA JESÚS GARCÍA SERRANO]
