Translation Teaching Research Articles

Comparing product quality between translation and paraphrasing: Using NLP-assisted evaluation frameworks.

Translation and paraphrasing, as typical forms in second language (L2) communication, have been considered effective learning methods in second language acquisition (SLA). While many studies have investigated their similarities and differences in a process-oriented approach, little attention has been paid to the correlation in product quality between them, probably due to difficulties in assessing the quality of translation and paraphrasing. Current quality evaluation methods tend to be either subjective and one-sided or lack consistency and standardization. To address these limitations, we proposed preliminary evaluation frameworks for translation and paraphrasing by incorporating indices from natural language processing (NLP) tools into teachers' rating rubrics and further compared the product quality of the two activities. Twenty-nine translators were recruited to perform a translation task (translating from Chinese to English) and a paraphrasing task (paraphrasing in English). Their output products were recorded by key-logging technique and graded by three professional translation teachers by using a 10-point Likert Scale. This rating process adopted rubrics consisting of both holistic and analytical assessments. Besides, indices containing textual features from lexical and syntactic levels were extracted from TAASSC and TAALES. We identified indices that effectively predicted product quality using Pearson's correlation analysis and combined them with expert evaluation rubrics to establish NLP-assisted evaluation frameworks for translation and paraphrasing. With the help of these frameworks, we found a closely related performance between the two tasks, evidenced by several shared predictive indices in lexical sophistication and strong positive correlations between translated and paraphrased text quality according to all the rating metrics. These similarities suggest a shared language competence and mental strategies in different types of translation activities and perhaps in other forms of language tasks. Meanwhile, we also observed differences in the most salient textual features between translations and paraphrases, mainly due to the different processing costs required by the two tasks. These findings enrich our understanding of the shared ground and divergences in product quality between translation and paraphrasing and shed light on the pedagogical application of translation activities in classroom teaching. Moreover, the proposed evaluation framework can also bring insights into the development of standardized evaluation frameworks in translation and paraphrasing in the future.

A Research on the Translation Study of Non-English Major Postgraduates: Based on the Perspective of Deep Learning

This paper discusses the application of deep learning theory to English translation teaching and learning for non-English major postgraduates(NEMPGs). In view of the lack of English translation ability of NEMPGs, this paper analyzes the problems involved in the lack of translation ability, the significance of deep learning theory applied in translation teaching and learning, and methods of improving the translation ability of these students. The research shows that it is both feasible and of practical value to apply deep learning theory to English translation teaching and learning for NEMPGs.

The Past, Present and Future of Machine Translation in China: A Visualization Study Based on CNKI Literature (1959-2021)

Machine translation, a product of technical growth, is advancing the field of translation. With the aid of visualization analysis techniques, this study examines the machine translation literature published in the CNKI database from 1959 to 2021 while analyzing its history, key issues, arguments, and future directions of related research. The proposal is then made that, in light of the tendency toward technological advancement, the fields of translation research and education should take on the disciplinary duties associated with the motivation for “collaborations between humans and machine and use of machines for humans.” The study also emphasizes how important it is to improve students’ technological competence, support the localization of language services, and integrate information technology into language and translation instruction.

TRANSLATION OF OCCASIONALISMS IN MEDIA TEXTS: PHILOLOGICAL ASPECT

The aim of the study is to examine the functioning and translation of English occasionalisms into Ukrainianand vice versa in the media texts, namely a social media site Instagram. Information and explanatory functions, which arethe subject of the whole article, are only its secondary purpose. Communicative-pragmatic and functional features of socialnetworks are investigated and we analyze which translational transformations are the best to be used in a specific situationto achieve the goal, namely to influence the audience and be conducive to manipulating consciousness for useful purposes.The article presents an analysis of the fundamental aspects of the translation of occasionalisms, their structuralgrammaticaland lexical functions. As a result of studying the term “occasionalism”, the following main methods of itsformation are distinguished: affixal method (prefix and suffixal methods), composite, conversion, reduction, inverse derivation,fusion, borrowing from other languages and abbreviation. Also the following main methods of translating occasionalisms aredistinguished: functional replacement, transcription, transliteration, descriptive translation (explication), reduction, expansionand borrowing. In addition to this, we have assumed the main translation teaching methods of occasionalisms namelycognitive and audio-visual methods.The cognitive method is aimed at forming the future translator's cognitive skills, which make it possible to determine thetype and purpose of information, to highlight its main content, to build ways of solving problems while translating these lexicalunits, to be able to form them, to have some judgments and to show creativity. The audiovisual teaching method can be usedto build and test models of translation competencies that determine the knowledge and cognitive components necessary foreffective translation work. In addition, key aspects have found their way into translator training profiles and quality standardsfor translation services. Central to the acquisition of translation competence is reflection on decisions and actions during thetranslation process, as well as various process studies.

Подготовка русско-китайских переводчиков в КНР: актуальные тенденции

As the level of Russian-Chinese relations of strategic cooperation is constantly growing, the demand for highly qualified translators from Russian is growing in China. The theory of translation studies and the theory of the methodology of teaching translation set a new vector in the organization of the educational process under the bachelor’s degree program “Translation — Russian and Chinese” in China, which has a direct impact on the quality of training of translators. A new trend in the bachelor’s degree program in China is becoming an educational process focused on both subjects — teachers and students, the so-called the concept of a dual subject.

Developing assessment literacy among trainee translators: scaffolding self and peer assessment as an intervention

Recent growth in research on assessment has focused on the importance of university students’ assessment literacy, yet few studies have investigated how self and peer assessment combined with scaffolding can develop student assessment literacy. To address this, we developed scaffolding self and peer assessment (SSPA) as an intervention to build student assessment literacy. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to test its usefulness; one class (N = 21) received the intervention and the other (N = 23) did not. The findings indicated that SSPA had a positive effect on the trainee translators’ assessment literacy levels. Consistent across the time points, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in self and peer feedback provision. In contrast, no such trend was noticed among the non-intervention group. The intervention group also significantly outperformed the non-intervention group in translation performance. Students were generally positive about SSPA, showing its feasibility in translation instruction. This study highlights the role that teacher scaffolding can play in helping trainee translators develop assessment literacy to meet language service industry requirements.

Measuring Chinese Undergraduate English Majors’ Motivation to Learn Translation in Higher Education Translation Courses

Many studies have suggested that Chinese English majors tend to have a lower level of motivation to learn translation due to the conventional teaching method still prevalent in many a translation classroom. In this regard, from the standpoint of instruction, a translation course design that employed motivation as a central concept of the design may have positive impacts on students’ motivation to learn. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) is known for its efficacy in making meaning-oriented choice in language use in context. And since translation is about recontextualized meaning transfer, a teaching method integrated with SFL may be motivating for students to learn translation. Grounded on SFL and guided by Keller’s ARCS Motivational Design, a new genre-based method was proposed. This study aimed to explore effects of an SFL guided genre-based method and the conventional method on Chinese students’ motivation to learn translation. Two intact groups were selected as the Experimental Group and the Control Group, each consisting of 37 students. The Experimental Group was instructed using the genre-based method while the Control Group using the conventional method. A motivation questionnaire adapted from Keller’s Course Interest Survey was administered to both groups’ students before and after the pedagogical intervention. Data collected from the survey were analyzed using ANCOVA test in SPSS (Version 25). The results show that students in the Experimental Group scored significantly higher mean in overall motivation and four constructs of the ARCS Model, namely, Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction after they were taught using the genre-based method in comparison with their counterparts in the Control Group. The findings indicate that in general, the genre-based method is effective in enhancing students’ motivation in learning translation. Therefore, future translation instructors may consider adopting the SFL-informed genre-based method as an alternative pedagogical tool to motivate students to learn translation.

On the Teaching of Translating Chinese Culture in University English Education

In view of the key role of translation talents in economic and social development, cultural translation teaching in the process of university English education occupies a very important position in foreign language courses. To further innovate the cultural translation teaching in the process of university English education is not only a realistic orientation to meet the needs of national talents, but also an inherent requirement to improve the school’s reputation in the social field and the world, and an inevitable way to conform to the trend of the times. However, reviewing the current situation of cultural translation teaching in the process of university English education in China will find that the current university English translation teaching concept is relatively vague and the teaching method is relatively simple, which is a major difficulty that hinders Chinese cultural translation teaching. In response to this, four practical paths are proposed, including introducing translation theories, constructing new teaching models, innovating and expanding teaching methods, and improving teachers’ translation ability, in order to provide a theoretical reference for the continuous optimization of Chinese cultural translation teaching in university English education.

Contribution of teachers of translation in promoting the public recognition of the translation profession in Burundi

Translation plays a vital role in communication without having to learn a foreign language. It also paves the way for knowledge dissemination between people from different cultural backgrounds. However, the translation profession is still little recognized in Burundi. This article attempts to appraise the role of lecturers of translation at university in the development of the translation profession in Burundi. Tseng’s model of professionalisation and the theory of control are two theoretical frameworks underpinning this study. Questionnaires were administered to translation lecturers at the undergraduate level. The data collected were therefore analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results indicated that the translation profession is unknown in Burundi. The findings also revealed that lecturers of translation at universities do not act as a role model in promoting public recognition of the translation profession. This research finally recommends that all stakeholders in the translation profession should establish a body regulatory to regulate translation practices on the market.

IoT-Based English Translation Teaching from the Perspective of Artificial Intelligence

In recent years, with the development of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a research hotspot in industry and academia. At the same time, as a derivative tool of artificial intelligence, machine translation based on the IoT is constantly being applied to English translation and its teaching. In teaching, helping students learn English translation has been the focus of machine translation in recent years. Compared with human translation, machine translation is more efficient and convenient. However, machine translation also has some problems. Compared with traditional human translation, it cannot meet the requirements of faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance of translation. In many fields, neural network translation is comparable to human translation. In the field of English translation teaching, neural network translation has broad prospects. With the gradual maturity of neural network translation, we should think about how to use neural network translation to make it a powerful English translation teaching tool instead of sticking to traditional teaching and cultivating students who are completely unable to compare it with neural network translation. Therefore, in the context of rapid AI iteration, college English translation teaching should also keep pace with the times. With the help of tools such as neural network translation, English translation talents who can skillfully use AI technology can be trained quickly and efficiently so that they can keep pace with the times and master the power of AI. The research in this paper provides important guidance for the application of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, especially for intelligent relaying.

The Development Strategy of the Multimedia Fusion Mode of Big Data Technology in Japanese Translation Teaching

With the in-depth development of economic globalization, the connection and communication between China and other countries in the world are increasingly deepened, so the task of cultivating translation talents in various languages is particularly important. In the teaching process, teachers mainly focus on explaining theoretical knowledge and lack of classroom interaction, resulting in a boring and dull classroom atmosphere. At the same time, it does not pay attention to the practice of translation after class and often pays attention to interpretation and neglects written translation, which leads many students to think that Japanese translation is difficult and boring, which greatly reduces students’ enthusiasm for learning. In view of this situation, the application of multimedia technology in Japanese translation teaching proposes that the application of multimedia technology in Japanese teaching can improve the interest of students in Japanese learning and improve the teaching effect of Japanese teaching. Firstly, this paper constructs a logistic semantic ontology model based on automatic calibration of Japanese translation, extracts Japanese semantic features through this model, and performs relational mapping on the extracted Japanese semantic features. Starting from each aspect, optimize the automatic calibration algorithm of Japanese translation, find the best semantic relevance feature in each sentence, and realize automatic optimization, thereby improving the automatic calibration of Japanese translation machines and the registration of subject words.

GAINING ACCEPTIBILITY USING DESIGN THINKING IN FUNDAMENTAL TRANSLATION CLASS

This paper points on the use of design thinking in fundamental translation class. Design thinking is an approach to produce the best solution of a problem. This approach includes five steps, namely empathize, define (the problem), ideate, prototype, and test. The researchers focus on the translation’s acceptability of idioms since this topic is usually problematic to students. Therefore, a case study was conducted in this research. The participants of this research were 20 students of fundamental translation class in English Literature Study Program, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman. The students translated some idioms using design thinking and their translations were randomly selected. Observation was conducted to examine the students’ behaviours in translating idioms. After that, the researchers rated their translations’ acceptability. The results indicate that design thinking’s application in translating idioms produce acceptable translations. Furthermore, this study can be beneficial for translators and translation teachers to gain acceptability in translation.

Application of Production-Oriented Approach and Deep Learning Model in English Translation Teaching Model

Translation is an important index to assess students’ English learning ability. In the current English translation teaching, there are still dilemmas such as poor professionalism of curriculum, insufficient knowledge reserve of students, and single teaching methods and approaches. Therefore, this study carries out research on English translation teaching based on the deep learning model to improve the EM algorithm and the guidance of Production-Oriented Approach (POA). The experiment proves that POA can effectively mobilize students’ enthusiasm in translation learning, improve the efficiency of internalizing human knowledge into output ability, optimize teachers’ teaching effect, and significantly improve students' English translation ability and output application ability by more than 30%.

IMPORTANCE OF TRANSLATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING -CASE STUDY-

Translation as a teaching and learning tool has not been fully approved in teaching English for general purposes (Duff, 1994); however, it is frequently used in teaching English for specific purposes (ESP), (Chirobocea, 2018). In order to analyze the importance of translation in teaching ESP, a case study was conducted aiming at analyzing the role and importance of translation exercises while using the ESP textbook “Oxford English for Electrical and Mechanical engineering” OUP and pointing out the advantages of using translation in teaching. During the winter term of 2021/22 academic year, 36 third-year students participated in a case study at the Faculty of Mechanical engineering, University of Montenegro. In their obligatory ESP course, they were taught English for Mechanical Engineering. At the end of the course, students were given a questionnaire to evaluate the quality and importance of all exercises applied (retelling, translation, grammatical exercises, reading comprehension, speaking, listening, and writing). Eventually, additional exercises that included translating sentences into English and from English were graded as one of the most efficient and, accordingly, the most important ones. Students were satisfied with the effects of applying translation exercises in the process of teaching and learning which has increased their motivation to use translation to a greater extent both in their future studies and in their future professional surroundings. Moreover, it is expected that translation exercises will raise students’ awareness of the importance of accuracy when using technical vocabulary in L1 and L2. Presently, domain experts translate scientific texts into and from English without consulting linguists and philologists of the Montenegrin language. This case study is the beginning of comprehensive research to be carried out among a greater number of students at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (Departments of Electronics and Energetics) and Faculty of Medicine (Departments of General Medicine, Stomatology and Pharmacy), University of Montenegro.

Perceptions of English and Literature Department Students on Lecturer’s Feedback for Critical Book Review (CBR)

This study aims to analyze Perceptions of English and Literature Department Students perceptions on lecturer’s feedback for Critical Book Review (CBR). A descriptive qualitative design was used in this study. The data sources are all students outside the English Education study program who take 5 courses, namely Curriculum and Textbook Analysis, Translation in Language Teaching, English Culture in ELT, Technology in ELT and Management of English Based Institution. The data are the results of questionnaires given to students outside the Study Program who are conducting the student exchange program (Permata). Research shows that students feel helped by the feedback provided by the lecturer in the form of corrections, criticisms, suggestions, and providing solutions either orally or in writing. The reason why lecturers provide feedback is to measure students' abilities in doing CBR assignments.

An Analysis of the Innovative Model of English Course Translation Teaching in Foreign Language Listening Teaching Relying on Interactive Digital Media

Traditional single English course translation education modes can no longer stimulate students’ interest in learning and require continuous improvement in the alignment of English learning needs with individual needs. The Ministry of Education of my country has explicitly advocated a new form of education, a model of university English education (CET) based on computers and classrooms. In a networked environment, CET is constantly optimizing and adjusting the ecological balance of students, teachers, and the environment by changing the concept of education, teaching methods, and modes of education. With the rise of SPOCS, MOOCs, and mixed education, the combination of face-to-face and online learning has become an important development trend in language education. SPOCS is a new educational model based on modern educational technology, with students as the center of educational activities and the recipients of knowledge. Through the new educational mode, students can complete their education independently. This becomes part of the internalization of classroom knowledge. Therefore, the new educational mode of CET education in foreign language listening education compensates for the shortcomings of traditional educational modes and enhances the enthusiasm of students studying CET courses. To facilitate interaction and interaction between classroom education and other countries’ education system, the new educational mode enhances students’ autonomous learning abilities and effectively promotes individual learning.

Frequency Function and Language Inequality and Its Enlightenment to Foreign Language Translation Teaching

Frequency Function and Language Inequality and Its Enlightenment to Foreign Language Translation Teaching

Practical Exploration of English Translation Activity Courses in Colleges and Universities under the Background of Artificial Intelligence

College English teaching includes five aspects, which are cultivating students’ English listening ability, speaking ability, reading ability, reading ability, and reading ability. These five aspects complement each other and are indispensable. Cultivating students’ English reading ability can enhance students’ cross-cultural awareness and English application ability. Among these five English abilities, only English translation can cultivate students’ Chinese ability and English ability at the same time. The college stage is an important turning stage on the way of students’ learning and growth. During this period, the main teaching goal of teachers is not to help students take exams, but more importantly, students could adapt to the society. Under the background of artificial intelligence, teachers need to find new and effective teaching concepts to improve the practical effect of translation teaching, which has attracted the attention and attention of college teachers in recent years. Correct use of artificial intelligence in college English translation education can greatly stimulate students’ enthusiasm for learning, help students to think innovatively, and encourage students to actively participate in English translation learning.

Teaching and Learning Scientific Translation: Problems, Challenges, and Solutions

Scientific translation is not a kind of knowledge that could be gained by practice, or byimplementation of certain techniques. Therefore, teaching scientific translation does notinvolve the demonstration of its techniques and strategies only. However, it also involvesthe awareness of the requirements for this type of translation such as the expertise neededin this area, the consequences of neglecting linguistic and grammatical rules whentranslating scientific prose, the different barriers encountered, and the preliminary stepstaken before engaging in the translation. Similarly, learners of scientific translation shouldnot only learn the rules of scientific translation, but also be aware of the scientifictranslator’s job which is not the mere replacement of the source lexical terms with targetones. They should be learned that the translation of scientific prose, though non-literal,should render as directly as possible the exact meaning of the original. Accordingly, thispaper highlights the problems encountered when teaching and learning English-Arabicscientific translation. One of them is the students’ neglecting of the grammatical rules inscientific translation, which affects their translation of other text-types and influences andother modes of translation such as subtitling. The paper also attempts to offer solutionsand establish possible factors that may lead to a methodology of teaching and learning thistype of translation.

C-STARS: a collaborative online learning environment for situated translation teaching in higher education

PurposeBefore COVID-19 pandemic, translation students in higher education attended courses on computer-assisted translation to acquire operational knowledge of professional software, without experiencing collaborative/interactive learning. In few European universities skills labs were introduced to offer fieldwork-like activities, but without shared modelling standards and mainly held in presence for few consecutive days. As the COVID-19 pandemic further deprived students of crucial educational experiences, the purpose of this paper is to present an online collaborative learning environment exploiting a customised combination of information and learning applications the students already experienced during the pandemic to smoothen their learning curve and increase the educational effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachA multi-framework methodology to build and operate a computer-supported online collaborative skills lab for translation students is proposed. Reference standards and guidelines are leveraged to provide participants with a common knowledge ground, to activate the computer-supported collaborative learning perspective, and to ensure an appropriate simulation fidelity.FindingsAn end-to-end implementation of the proposed approach along with educational effectiveness analysis performed via complementary assessment strategies is presented. Achieved outcomes highlight significant participation rate, consistent improvement in technical and soft skills at both individual and collective levels, and clear activation of collaborative learning dynamics.Practical implicationsEvery master degree in translation teaching can adopt this approach by complying with the proposed guidelines.Originality/valueThe proposed multi-framework approach is novel and applied to a teaching sector where it is highly needed to fill a pre-existing gap.