Translation and Translanguaging in Multilingual Contexts - Volume 8, Issue 1, 2022

Abstract

This paper presents the teaching innovation project AUDIOSUB, which aimed at assessing the didactic potential of audio description (AD) and subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) in foreign language education. Within an online setting, 25 undergraduates of English Studies in a Spanish university worked collaboratively for two months and a half, in groups of five, so as to provide accessibility to complete short films. To that end, they were provided with a number of ad hoc tutorials and guidelines on technical issues related to AD and SDH, the two media accessibility modes used for this proposal. A pre-experiment was designed for data collection: pre- and post- writing and oral production tests, as well as general translation pre- and post- tests, were administered, and quantitative data were exploited using SPSS; pre-and post- questionnaires and observation were also used to triangulate and complement the analysis. The results show evidence of improvement both in written production and in general translation skills thanks to the pedagogical application of media accessibility and point towards a more systematic exploitation of didactic SDH and AD in the foreign language learning context.

Abstract

Existing training programmes in the field of public service interpreting and translation (PSIT) do not to focus on how best to develop students’ lexical competence and corpora-based search skills. This paper reports the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel corpus-based module intended to develop Spanish postgraduate PSIT students’ lexical competence and search strategies. Adopting a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, we administered a pre- and post-test to both an experimental group and a control group to collect quantitative data and determine whether the corpus-based module contributes to improving participants’ lexical competence and search strategies. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted to collect qualitative data, which were thematically analysed. The findings indicate that a corpus-based methodology significantly improves PSIT students’ skills in these areas, leading to the conclusion that such an approach should be adopted more widely in PSIT pedagogy.

Abstract

Machine Translation (MT), the process by which a computer engine such as Google Translate or Bing automatically translates a text from one language into another without any human involvement, is increasingly used in professional, institutional and everyday contexts for a wide range of purposes. While a growing number of studies has looked at professional translators and translation students, there is currently a lack of research on non-translator users and uses in multilingual contexts.

This paper presents a survey examining how, when and why students at Leiden University’s Faculty of Humanities use MT. A questionnaire was used to determine which MT engines students use and for what purposes, and gauge their awareness of issues concerning privacy, academic integrity and plagiarism. The findings reveal a widespread adoption of Google Translate and indicate that students use MT predominantly to look up single words, as an alternative to a dictionary. Many seemed sceptical about the value of MT for educational purposes, and many assumed that the use of MT is not permitted by lecturers for graded assignments, especially in courses focusing on language skills.

The results demonstrate a clear need for more MT literacy. Students may not need practical training in how to use MT, but there is much room for improvement in terms of when and why they use it.

Abstract

Since the turn of the century there has been an increase in the use of translanguaging in multilingual learning contexts. Many researchers have shown how translanguaging enhances multilingual students’ ability to understand academic content. This experimental study provides empirical evidence that translanguaging can enhance reading comprehension. An experimental group and a control group were used to establish whether there was a significant difference between the performances of the two groups after reading an academic text. Using the t-test analysis, the results show a significant difference in the performance of the control group and the experimental group. These findings prompt us to conclude that translanguaging is an effective strategy that enhances reading comprehension.

This article reviews Translanguaging and Repertoires across Signed and Spoken Languages: Insights from Linguistic Ethnographies in Semiotically Diverse Contexts

This article reviews Envisioning TESOL through a Translanguaging Lens: Global Perspectives9783030470302

This article reviews The Routledge Course on Media, Legal and Technical Translation: English-Arabic-English9781003052555