Anisimova I.N.
Translation
of the technical text on the Mechanical department
Translation has
been used by instructors of foreign language to test whether or not material
read by students has been understood. This kind of work encourages in students
the habit of looking at the new language in terms of the native language. We
use many types of translation. Among them, translation from the mother tongue
into the foreign language, translation from the foreign language into the
mother tongue.
The work must be carried out in a way
which will be interest to students and develop not only their translation
ability but their comprehension abilities as well. If the text is difficult and
contains unfamiliar words and grammar items, students must consult a dictionary
or a reference book to understand it. The technique the instructor uses should
be different, as the students translate the text not only to get information
but to improve their knowledge of the language.
The
preliminary work may be connected with lexical work which helps students to
deepen and enrich their vocabulary knowledge, grammar work which helps students
to review and systematize their grammar knowledge and stylistic work which helps
students to become acquainted with stylistic use of words and grammar forms
such as tense usage.
In learning to translate in a foreign
language, students deal with various texts that may be distinguished in
contents, form and structure. Texts should be interesting and have something
new for the students’ specialty, they should help students in enriching their
knowledge of the language, in extending potential vocabulary. Students must
search for the main idea and facts in the text. This is done through questions.
The teacher instructs students how to find the subject and the main logical
idea of the text. A good translation is extremely difficult to make. On a
technical level this is certainly true, because the student must attempt to
reflect not only the content, but the strict notions of the science.
Every student is at one time or another
in the position of interpreter. He must be able to apply content across the
language boundary and know how to use equivalent forms to express this content.
Sometimes, a normal classroom work was to ask students to read sentences and
paragraphs and translate them into the native language. Most often the students
were not ready for these exercises, so they made a word for word translation,
which never imparted a full comprehension of material or offered the necessary
practice in using the language correctly.
The use
of formal translation drills should probably be limited to students. These
drills satisfy an important need: contents comparable to the interest and
ability the students bring to the classroom. Intensive and extensive work on
translation is admittedly one of the best ways to increase vocabulary power.
Word for word translation is valuable in an educational respect as it gives a
student an opportunity to compare all the elements of the language he studies
with the corresponding elements of the mother tongue and in this way to see the
difference between these languages.
The
translation may be selected from materials the students has already read
and studied and according to the students’ abilities and the levels of usage
and style for which there will be the most need. While teaching a high school
students who must become familiar with a scientific style that commonly appears
in textbooks and lectures, students must learn to use such a scientific style
in examinations and term papers, it is preferable to select texts for
translation that are examples of scientific style, covering a variety of
subjects with which the students may have contact. One should also try in
selecting texts for the translation to choose parts containing good examples of
problems the group may be dealing with in another area of instructions:
grammar, vocabulary.
The process of translation is more
complex than work on speaking, listening, reading, or writing. Good translation
cannot be achieved without mastery of the native language. Translation develops
a subordinate, overly complex functional organization of the second language. Detailed
comprehension and discussion questions follow each text for translation. They
are intended, first, to guide the student in his reading and, in some cases, to
clarify a difficult point in the text. It may, indeed, be good for students to
read through the questions before reading a text for the first time. The second
use of the questions, is to aid the instructor in guiding group discussion.
Questions intended for the function which require the student to develop his
skills in inference and interpretation. Exercises on translation are based
directly on the texts both to enhance the student’s understanding of what he
has just read and to help him assimilate new words and grammatical
constructions for his own use. All of the exercises on translation may be done
orally in class and assigned as written homework.
The purpose of translation is to guide
the student to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the special text. All
exercises on translation call for writing on a theme suggested by the text and
intended to stimulate the students to relate what they have read to their own
ideas and experiences.
Translation provides and helps in
obtaining knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, but hinders the development of
speech habits and skills, since instead of direct comprehension and expression
of their thoughts students fall into the habit of translating. The choice of
the type of translation depends on the objective of the lesson, language
materials, stage of instruction, students’ progress in the language learning
and time the instructor has at his disposal.