MAXIMISING PRACTICE WITHIN THE TRANSLATION MODULE: LESSONS FROM A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY IN SOUTH AFRICA

According to Abdellah (2010), translation courses at university level afford students an opportunity to exercise their languages and linguistic abilities into real use. However, until recently the translation curricula were generally ill-designed, and conducted on informal bases, and unfortunately, very little attention was devoted to changing this. The theoretical part is often regarded as superior to the practical component. This is unfair to the training, as practice is equally important in the translation exercise. The translation pedagogy is not complete until the actual translation skills are perfected and can be used judiciously. The purpose of this study is to explore ways, albeit from a lecturer’s perspective, on how a translation module can maximise practice at a university of technology in South Africa. A qualitative study was undertaken where open-ended questionnaires were handed out to lecturers involved in the practical translation classes, as well as participant observation of the first-year students, 95 in total over a period of one week. The results indicated that there is indeed scope for development in maximising practice within the translation module. Amongst other recommendations, was that the practical translation model be expanded to include editing and revising competencies.