Translator Training Programmes Research Articles

Implementing a medical student interpreter training program as a strategy to developing humanism

BackgroundHumanistic care in medicine has shown to improve healthcare outcomes. Language barriers are a significant obstacle to humanistic care, and trained medical interpreters have demonstrated to effectively bridge the gap for the vulnerable limited English proficiency (LEP) patient population. One way in which medical schools can train more humanistic physicians and provide language access is through the implementation of programs to train bilingual medical students as medical interpreters. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate whether such training had an impact on bilingual medical student’s interpretation skills and humanistic traits.MethodsBetween 2015 and 2017, whole-day (~ 8 h) workshops on medical interpretation were offered periodically to 80 bilingual medical students at the Penn State College of Medicine. Students completed a series of questionnaires before and after the training that assessed the program’s effectiveness and its overall impact on interpretation skills and humanistic traits. Students also had the opportunity to become certified medical interpreters.ResultsThe 80 student participants were first- to third- year medical students representing 21 languages. Following training, most students felt more confident interpreting (98%) and more empathetic towards LEP patients (87.5%). Students’ scores in the multiple-choice questions about medical interpretation/role of the interpreter were also significantly improved (Chi-Square test, p < 0.05). All students who decided to take the exam were able to successfully become certified interpreters. Ninety-two percent of participants reported they would recommend the program and would be willing to serve as a future “coaches” for interpreter training workshops delivered to peer students.ConclusionsOur program was successful in increasing self-reported measures of empathy and humanism in medical students. Our data suggests that implementation of medical interpreter training programs can be a successful strategy to develop of humanism in medical students, and aid in the development of sustainable language access for LEP patients.

Developing a motivational framework in translation training programs: a mixed methods study following self-determination and social capital theories

ABSTRACTReview of the available literature suggests that empirical studies on the human factors in English translation programs both in Iran and worldwide are few and that theoretical views on the issue are also mainly tentative. This study set up to investigate the motivating and demotivating factors associated with learning translation in the Iranian context. To this end, based on a non-probability sampling method, 159 undergraduate trainees from two state universities answered a self-report questionnaire. In the second phase, two focused group and three semi-structured interviews with third- and fourth-year students of the previous phase were conducted. The results indicated that translation trainees were driven by the three layers of extrinsic motivation, including external regulation (e.g., external encouragement and degree and certificate), introjected regulation (e.g., social prestige), and identified regulation (e.g., overseas development). Teachers-, administrative- and facility-related factors also served as the major demotivators. The findings are inputted and discussed, above all, within self-determination and social capital theories.

An exploratory study of Clinical and Translational Science Award community-engaged research training programs.

The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) institutions are increasing development of training programs in community-engaged research (CEnR) to support translational science. This study sampled posters at CTSA national meetings to identify CEnR training approaches, topics, and outcomes. Qualitative analysis of 30 posters revealed training topics and outcomes focused primarily on CEnR capacity building, overcoming barriers, systems change, and sustainability. Further research should focus on development and results of CTSA CEnR training program metrics.

Welcoming Chinese investors in Indonesia: improving the competency of professional Indonesian-Mandarin translator

The study discusses the importance of improving the competency of Indonesian-Mandarin translators to increase economic relations between Indonesia and China. As China’s investment in Indonesia expands in various industry sectors, the need for qualified translators escalates. However, the situation described that Indonesia lacks competent and qualified translators in Mandarin. The study adopts the qualitative approach. Technically, the study utilizes a variety of secondary data consisting of documents, books, publications, and website to collect data based on the needs of qualified translators and how to improve their competency. In addition, primary data collection involves industry and translation service providers, from high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and Chinese language courses through interviews. In this respect, the study contributes to the development of the Mandarin Chinese translator competency through professional translator training programs. The competencies developed include Mandarin language skills in a variety of contexts or themes such as business, industry, accounting, taxation, law, and socio-political issues. The findings of this research indicate the significance to complement the lack of knowledge and skills that are not acquired during the college. Importantly, the authors propose a professional interpreter training model to meet the demand of Chinese investors in Indonesia eventually.

Exploring the Typology of Challenges and Strategies in Translating Culture-Bound Items for Professional Purposes

The translation of culture-bound expressions such as idioms, proverbs and similes can be a challenge even for professional translators who are expected to have an excellent command of the languages they work with, at least theoretically. Challenges arise when either the image or the meaning of the source language expression does not exist in the target language. For instance, the Arabic simile كمسمار جحا translates literally as “like Juha’s nail” (image). However, a more suitable translation into English would in fact be along the lines of “no more than a vacuous excuse” (meaning). Therefore, in this paper, the author aims to establish, by conducting a survey of Arab professionals, the extent to which these expressions pose a challenge when translating between English and Arabic. In this survey, translators are also asked to translate selected culture-bound expressions and comment on them. The initial results will show that the translation of culture-bound expressions can indeed cause significant challenges for professional translators and that these challenges can be grouped into five categories on the basis of image and meaning. Suggestions regarding procedures will be made to overcome these cultural challenges by category. Overall, the results will suggest that there is a pressing need to increase the cultural component in translator training programmes.

LINGUISTIC AND DOMAIN-DRIVEN KNOWLEDGE DEFICIENCY IN LEGAL TRANSLATION

Ponte Academic JournalMar 2018, Volume 74, Issue 3 LINGUISTIC AND DOMAIN-DRIVEN KNOWLEDGE DEFICIENCY IN LEGAL TRANSLATIONAuthor(s): Soufiane BlidiJ. Ponte - Mar 2018 - Volume 74 - Issue 3 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2018.3.11 Abstract:This current research explores the concept of forensic linguistics from the perspective of translator training. Legal translation is a specialized discipline that represents one of the most frequently needed disciplines in the profession of translation, especially with the proliferation of multi-national organizations. The sensitivity of the area and the possible nefarious consequences grave mistakes can have make the related issues of training and competence more prominent than in other areas of expertise. The research adopts a threefold approach using the theoretical classification of legal translation typology, the nature and characteristics of legal language, and the exploration of legal translation difficulties to tackle the issue of legal translation equivalence. Using this theoretical framework, it analyzes exam scripts involving the translation of authentic legal texts. Research findings indicate that the structure of legal texts and the related issues of semantics and pragmatics coupled with cultural differences as well as differences in legal systems and laws call for more exhaustive efforts that teachers of translation and translator training programmes need to deploy. It then advocates what has been termed ad hoc knowledge acquisition, focusing on expanding students’ corpus-knowledge in terms of concepts and lexicon which are related to the field of law. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Interpreter training: Taking account of intercultural communication

Communication settings involving interpreters are always instances influenced by intercultural factors, due to the fact that in interpreted communication there is the co-presence of two or more cultural and language systems which inevitably give rise to potential misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the original, intended message issued by the speaker. The point of departure of the study is the understanding that besides being language experts, interpreters also need to acquire intercultural effectiveness in order to successfully practice their profession. The study discusses basic concepts of intercultural communication and examines the relationship between interpreting and intercultural awareness, particularly focusing on the role and specific skills of the interpreter. To this effect, a survey was carried out among professional interpreters in the Republic of Macedonia. The aim of the survey was to test interpreters’ point of view of the way they perceive their role during the interpretative event. The importance of including the teaching of intercultural communication as part of the interpreter training program at the Faculty of Philology “Blaže Koneski” – Skopje, will also be highlighted.

Introducing statistical machine translation in translator training: from uses and perceptions to course design, and back again

While translation technology is now at the core of most translator training programmes, only a handful include teaching of statistical machine translation (SMT). This paper reports on the design and evaluation of an SMT course which we introduced in the second year of our Master’s degree in Multilingual Specialised Translation in 2016.

Tecnologias e formação de tradutores

Os sistemas de memórias de tradução e as novas aplicações de programas de tradução automática são parte do cotidiano de tradutores que trabalham com traduções especializadas e que prestam serviços para a indústria da localização. A integração dessas tecnologias está promovendo mudanças em muitos cursos universitários de formação de tradutores que, gradativamente, estão revendo seus currículos para incluir o treinamento em ferramentas. Este trabalho relata resultados de dois estudos conduzidos em dois cursos de graduação em tradução em duas universidades públicas brasileiras. Os resultados apontam para a importância de se incluírem, nas aulas de prática de tradução, discussões que estimulem o desenvolvimento de um olhar crítico em relação às ferramentas que os tradutores utilizam, para que aprendam a valorizar seu papel como negociador de sentidos em todo trabalho de tradução.

EMT FRAMEWORK PROPAGATING BEYOND ITS BORDERS: THE CONGRUENCE WITH NON-EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATORS’ NEEDS

Intercultural communication has escalated social demand for translator training programs which has led to attempts to provide a proper educational basis for translator training. There is also a general agreement among scholars that there should be reconciliation between training and the actual translation world and the market. The EMT (European Master's in Translation) Competences Framework is the most comprehensive framework and is an improvement to previous models focusing on practice-oriented dimensions. However, this framework has been developed based primarily on the requirements of European professional translators. This study was conducted to look into the compatibility of the EMT framework with the needs of non-European professional translators. To this end, a total number of 177 participants from 34 nationalities and 21 languages participated in a questionnaire survey that explored the compatibility of the EMT framework competences with the needs of non-European professional translators. The results indicated that the most compatible components with non-European professional translators are the language, thematic, intercultural, translation service provision, information mining, and technological competences. The results obtained can provide insight for translator training program planners.

Translator Training Programmes in Hungary and the United States of America

Abstract This paper examines translator training programmes in Hungary and the USA. Programmes operated by different institutions reveal greater differences of structure and content in the US than in Hungary. Most US programmes offer training in Spanish-English translation/interpreting, with a number of European and Asian languages also available, whereas in Hungary the dominant foreign languages are English and German, with other languages having a relatively marginal role. The number of training programmes, relative to economic needs, seems adequate in Hungary, while in the US there are far fewer than would be needed, in view of employment growth projections

DEVELOPING LISTENING COMPREHENSION SKILLS BY INTERPRETER TRAINEES THROUGH PROSODY TEACHING: DOES METHODOLOGY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

This study investigates the effect of explicit vs. implicit prosody teaching on developing listening comprehension skills by Farsi-English interpreter trainees. Three groups of student interpreters were formed. All were native speakers of Farsi who studied English translation and interpreting at the BA level at the University of Applied Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Participants were assigned to groups at random, but with equal division between genders (6 female and 6 male students in each group). No significant differences in English language skills (TOEFL scores) could be established between the groups. Participants took a pretest of listening comprehension skills before starting the program. The control group listened to authentic audio tracks and did exercises in listening comprehension skills. The first experimental group received implicit instruction of English prosody through the use of recasts. The second experimental group received explicit instruction of English prosody and did exercises based on the theoretical explanation which was provided by their Iranian instructor. The total instruction time was the same for all the groups, i.e. 10 hours. Students then took a posttest in listening comprehension skills. The results showed that explicit teaching of prosody had a significantly positive effect on developing listening comprehension skills. These results have pedagogical implications for interpreter training programs, EFL curriculum and all who are involved in language study and pedagogy.

Translator training in Canada and Russia

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to shed some light onto contemporary translation didactics as a “virgin” field of applied TS that cannot be successfully developed without a new, multidisciplinary approach that would put forward the specificity of translator training as a distinct, socially valuable practice. We hypothesize that as socially-specific, practice-oriented products of the interaction between the systems of translation and of professional education, translator training programs are dependent on the social perception of translating activity as well as on the degree of its institutionalization as a profession. Given that contemporary translation and interpretation practices, as well as translator training programs, are limited to local manifestations, the social and cultural discrepancies impede any comparativism in this field of applied TS. However, in applying a sociological approach to translator training, we propose a methodological framework for a sociologically-informed comparative analysis that would lift the cultural and institutional barriers that until now have been distorting our vision of translation as a global social practice and have thus prevented us from conducting comparative analysis of a wide variety of translational phenomena as manifested in different locales, conceived in terms of both time and space. In order to illustrate our propositions, we present the reader with a case study of the most prototypical translator training programs in Canada and Russia – countries that, due to the differences in the theoretical, practical and didactic setup of their respective fields of translation and interpretation, offer appropriate support for our comparative methodology.

The Gap between Translator Training and the Translation Industry in Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the translation industry in Saudi Arabia in order to identify the professional contexts for which universities should be preparing translators. Following a review of the current state of the industry, the article examines the types of translation organizations found in the country and investigates the demands of today’s translation market in Saudi Arabia. The most striking finding was that there is a huge gap between academic training and the requirements of the Saudi translation market. This study provides new beneficial insights for improving university translator-training programmes. It is suggested that the training programmes need to be constructed specifically to meet the demands of the Saudi translation market.

Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Training Pipeline in Translational Biomaterials Research and Regenerative Medicine.

The translation of biomaterial based and regenerative therapies from the laboratory to patients involves multiple challenges. One of the most pressing challenges is the educational one: to train a cohort of scientists and engineers capable of translating their discoveries from bench to market to clinic. To meet this need, translational training programs are being implemented globally at universities and as partnerships between universities and corporations. In this perspective, we describe two translational NIH T32 graduate and postgraduate training programs that augment the traditional approach to training early stage scientists and engineers. At the graduate level, Boston University developed and implemented the Translational Research in Biomaterials (TRB) predoctoral training program. At the postgraduate level, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, developed and implemented the Translational Research in Regenerative Medicine (TRRM) program for postdoctoral training. These programs are motivated by the need for training in translational research in the biomedical field, by young scientists' requests for such training, and by the fundamental challenges facing future discovery and clinical implementation of biomaterial-based technologies. The TRB program immerses trainees in the concept of translating an idea from the research laboratory to the clinic, introduces them to the challenges of such an endeavor, provides discussions with relevant faculty (for example, with businesses, patient care, or clinical trial experience), and educates them in the critical areas required for their future careers. Similarly, the TRRM program emphasizes translational research and the concept of "training without borders," which enables collaborations across several geographically dispersed institutions so as to make regional experts accessible regardless of where they are located physically. Both programs promote interdisciplinary research, expose young scientists and engineers to challenges outside of their specialty, and build interpersonal skills for cross-disciplinary communication. The TRB program focuses on quantitative science and engineering courses, together with translation-based courses in clinical trials and business. The TRRM program focuses on broadening the horizon of its trainees through exposure to a wider network of mentors than traditional postdoctoral programs, and by encouraging trainees to engage in collaborative research across at least two different laboratories. Both programs meet significant public health needs: the skills that trainees acquire are essential in future biomedical careers as they join teams that combine diverse backgrounds to meet a common goal in research, development, and ultimately commercialization.

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OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The first goal of this project is to test the reliability and validity of an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) that was designed to assess competency in clinical and translational research. The second goal is to evaluate the impact of MICHR’s Summer Research Program on the participating trainee’s competency development. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The methodology used for this study was reviewed and exempted from oversight by the U-M Institutional Review Board (HUM00113293). The participants in the study include 17 pre-doctoral students in health professions programs at U-M who participated MICHR’s Summer Research Program. The Research OSCE was administered using a pretest, post-test design. The pretest was administered once during the 1st week of program in the Summer of 2016 and the post-test during the 10th week of the program. The Research OSCE was proctored and rated by trained staff members. We will assess the reliability of the Research OSCE using Generalizability Theory (Webb et al., 2006). And the construct validity of the Research OSCE will be tested using factor analysis and other statistical analyses. Growth in the competence of the trainees participating in the Summer Research program will be evaluated by testing for significant differences between their pretest and post-test scores. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate that this study will show that the Research OSCE is a reliable competency assessment with proven construct validity. We also anticipate that the use of the Research OSCE will show the trainees participating in the Summer Research program experienced a gain in competence during the course of the 10-week program. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This project uses a common and standardized testing approach. The primary goal of this project is to evaluate the reliability and validity of an OSCE to assess competency in clinical and translational research. It represents a new application for a well-studied testing method used extensively in the health professions to assess the clinical competency of health practitioners. This project will lead to a better understanding of (a) the reliability and validity of the Research OSCE designed to test research competency and (b) the effectiveness of the Summer Research Program curriculum in better preparing participants to conduct clinical and translational research. Showing how a specific competency assessment can be used for this purpose will provide the administrators, evaluators, and other stakeholders of clinical and translational research training programs with information that can be used to design more rigorous and relevant evaluations of their research training programs.

Translator training in the Arab world: are curricula aligned with the language industry?

ABSTRACTTranslator training programmes have been increasingly challenged to explicitly identify the link between their curricula and the market that their graduates will, potentially, be serving. The Arab world nowadays hosts a number of translator training programmes in several countries. Nevertheless, the priorities of these academic programmes and their course offerings are not always aligned with the realities of the profession both at the local and global levels. The aim of this paper is to survey translator training programmes that exist in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by examining the specificities of their curricula and the markets they serve. The paper intends to identify the profile(s) of the translator that these curricula are attempting to shape in comparison with the expectations of regional translation markets. To that purpose, the paper analyses translation job descriptions published in the MENA region in order to compile data pertaining to the needs, tasks and qualifications sought. These data are compared with the curricula and course descriptions of different translator training programmes in the region. Our analysis can then serve as useful input for on-going optimisation of translator training curricula in the MENA region.

Training Translators for the Market in Turkey: What Should We Teach to Future Translators?

This study investigates the position of the translation market in translator-training and curriculum-design practices in Turkey from the perspective of various stakeholders, mainly the graduates of translator-training programs at the undergraduate level. The role of the market in curricular design and education practices in higher education has been at the core of discussions in education, specifically for disciplines that have a vocational aspect. The discussions are mostly based on theoretical grounds. This study derives from the need for empirical research on what the market expects from translators and how training programs meet these expectations. This study first presents data from a survey and interviews with graduates of translator-training programs, as this group of stakeholders is familiar with both training and market practices (supposing that they are employed professionally on the market after graduation). The initial findings obtained from the graduates were supported with interview findings from other stakeholders. The point of departure in this study was that translator training and the translation market – as two parties to translation service provision – should be in close interaction in order to improve the quality of training in higher-education institutions and the quality of translations on the market. In the present study, almost all the stakeholders agreed that there is a need for greater interaction between training and the market, and that the elements that prepare students for the market should find a place in the translation curricula. However, the results suggest that there is a need to handle the efforts to solve the problems related to training and the profession with the involvement of various stakeholders in a more systematized way. Furthermore, it is desirable to integrate market-training elements into training practices rather than offer them only in individual courses – including translation technologies and professional work procedures and ethics.

The Gap between Translator Training and the Translation Industry in Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the translation industry in Saudi Arabia in order to identify the professional contexts for which universities should be preparing translators. Following a review of the current state of the industry, the article examines the types of translation organizations found in the country and investigates the demands of today’s translation market in Saudi Arabia. The most striking finding was that there is a huge gap between academic training and the requirements of the Saudi translation market. This study provides new beneficial insights for improving university translator-training programmes. It is suggested that the training programmes need to be constructed specifically to meet the demands of the Saudi translation market.

Nič več obljubljena dežela: dinamični premiki na slovenskem prevajalskem trgu in področju izobraževanja prevajalcev

Namen članka je predstavitev razvoja prevajalskega trga, izobraževanja prevajalcev in poklica prevajalca na Slovenskem. Po kratkem pregledu slovenskih visokošolskih programov izobraževanja prevajalcev se članek na osnovi podatkov AJPES-a o poslovnih subjektih, ki so leta 2014 za svojo osrednjo dejavnost navedli prevajanje, in študije trga iz leta 2007 (Fišer 2008) osredotoči na spremembe prevajalskega trga. Opisano stanje je potem primerjano s podatki o zaposljivosti in povprečnemu zaslužku diplomantov Oddelka za prevajalstvo UL, pridobljenimi z anketama Oddelka za prevajalstvo in mednarodnega združenja CIUTI. Rezultati raziskav trga kažejo, da je prevajalska dejavnost na Slovenskem v nenehnem vzponu in da je slovenski prevajalski trg, podobno kot drugi evropski trgi, postal žrtev globalizacije dejavnosti, profitabilnost dejavnosti pa se ne odraža nujno tudi v prejemkih posameznih prevajalcev – ti so pogosto potisnjeni v položaj mezdnih delavcev, ki izgubljajo status strokovnjakov. V luči sodobnega trenda, ki vodi k pavperizaciji poklica, je na koncu poudarjena pomembna vloga stanovskih združenj.