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Translation Challenges: Translation Challenges: From Training to From Training to Profession Profession

Hammamet, Tunisia,Hammamet, Tunisia,

28-29 November28-29 November

Abou Nawas HotelAbou Nawas Hotel

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Small parallel corpora in an Small parallel corpora in an English – Arabic English – Arabic translation classroom:translation classroom:

No need to reinvent the wheel in No need to reinvent the wheel in the era of Globalization the era of Globalization

Hammouda Ben Ammar Hammouda Ben Ammar SalhiSalhiInstitut Supérieur des Langues AppliquéesInstitut Supérieur des Langues Appliquéeset d‘Informatique de Nabeul (ISLAIN)et d‘Informatique de Nabeul (ISLAIN)

Hammouda_s@hotmail.comHammouda_s@hotmail.com    

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The The Cry!: Where are you Cry!: Where are you my teacher?my teacher?

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Experience in Africa (UPU)Experience in Africa (UPU) The Academic and Professional The Academic and Professional

Gap (APG)Gap (APG) Where are you my teacher? Where are you my teacher? Alternative teachers: the Alternative teachers: the

Internet and technology and Internet and technology and much motivation and workmuch motivation and work

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AimsAims To show how corpora are of To show how corpora are of

immediate and critical importance immediate and critical importance in the English - Arabic classroom in the English - Arabic classroom without the use of too much without the use of too much technologytechnology

To illustrate how a To illustrate how a collaborative collaborative approachapproach is urgently needed is urgently needed

to show how to bridge the Academic to show how to bridge the Academic and Professional Gap (APG) in and Professional Gap (APG) in Translator Training in TunisiaTranslator Training in Tunisia

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Presentation structurePresentation structure Tracking the new requirements Tracking the new requirements

and changes in the current and changes in the current translation markettranslation market

Report on an experiment Report on an experiment conducted at the Faculty of Arts conducted at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Sousseand Humanities of Sousse

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Translation and Translation and Technology: Technology: The new The new frontier frontier

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Three Phases Three Phases Advantages brought about by Advantages brought about by

technologytechnologyoTranslation memory systems oTerminology databasesoElectronic corporaoConcordancers and Alignment tools

New changes and requirements in the New changes and requirements in the profession profession

o Advantages of corporaoVirtual Meeting Collaboration (VMC): a Powerful Collaboration Tool

www.Translatorscafe.comwww.Proz.com

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The professional The professional translator workstationtranslator workstation: :

Massive Online Collaboration (MOC)Massive Online Collaboration (MOC) is is changing the rules of the gamechanging the rules of the game

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Online Proofreading, Editing, Reviewing and Revising Services e.g. Didawi (2005:54-61)

“Violations of sexual integrity”Before revision: االنتهاكات ضد الحرمة الجنسيةAfter revision: انتهاك الحرمة الجنسية

“Military armed cars arrived at his home with over 50 men”

Before revision: جاءت سيارات مدرعة إلى بيته يرافقها رجال50أكثر من

After revision: 50 وعلى متنها أكثر ) ما يربو على(نفراوصلت إلى بيته سيارات )مصفحة(

Online consultation of Experts:

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State of the translation State of the translation classroom in Tunisiaclassroom in Tunisia A typical case A typical case The Academic and Professional The Academic and Professional

Gap (APG) in Translator Gap (APG) in Translator Training in TunisiaTraining in Tunisia

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The Experiment

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When it all started? When it all started? Motivating Students Motivating Students How the How the Collaborative ApproachCollaborative Approach was was implementedimplementedCreation of Creation of small glossaries of small glossaries of translated words phrasestranslated words phrases, , technicaltechnical termsterms

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Results of the experiment Quantitative Results

Qualitative Results

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Grading Translation Grading Translation exams 1exams 1

Coordination MeetingsCoordination Meetings A meeting before courses start A second meeting before the exam A final meeting after the exam

GradingGrading Understanding: (x) 5 points deducted out of 100 points

Language: (L) 4 points out a total of 100 points

Wording, expressions, and structures:(-) mark 1 point

Omission: (O) punished by 5 points deduction

Good translations: (+) worth 3 points

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Grading Translation Grading Translation exams 2exams 2

Provisional Score PS Provisional Score PS = Total of positive points – Total of negative points

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Quantitative Results 1Quantitative Results 1

Mean MarksMean Marks= 2005/6: (with 501 as a total number of 2005/6: (with 501 as a total number of

students) 8.11 out of 20students) 8.11 out of 20 2007/8: (with 439 as a total number of 2007/8: (with 439 as a total number of

students) 9.82 out of 20students) 9.82 out of 20

Absent studentsAbsent students== 2005/6: out of the 501 students, 09 did 2005/6: out of the 501 students, 09 did

not sit for the exam and got zeronot sit for the exam and got zero 2007/8: out of the 439 students, 28 did 2007/8: out of the 439 students, 28 did

not sit for the exam and got zeronot sit for the exam and got zero

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Quantitative Results 2Quantitative Results 2

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Motivation Motivation Getting rid of the “Getting rid of the “bête noirebête noire” ”

misconception about misconception about translation translation

Clear willingness to attend Clear willingness to attend translation classestranslation classes

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Qualitative ResultsQualitative Results

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Limitations of the experiment

Marks are not always a good Marks are not always a good indicator of the competence indicator of the competence and skills of a studentand skills of a student

Technology is not heavily usedTechnology is not heavily used a good number of students are a good number of students are

still not motivated enoughstill not motivated enough

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Recommendations for Recommendations for studentsstudents

Translation students must have a Translation students must have a minimum of formal training in minimum of formal training in computer sciencecomputer science

Students must take the initiative Students must take the initiative to access online virtual forums, to access online virtual forums, such as translatorscafe.com, and such as translatorscafe.com, and must be encouraged to create must be encouraged to create their own forums their own forums

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Recommendations for Recommendations for teachersteachers Teachers must be aware that

students need less education and more training.

Courses must respond to changing conditions in the world of professional translation.

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Final MessageFinal Message

TechnologyTechnology and collaboration and collaboration are are enoughenough to reduce the pitch to reduce the pitch of the APG cry and save us from of the APG cry and save us from reinventing the wheel.reinventing the wheel.

But alone they are not enough to But alone they are not enough to make students into good and make students into good and professional translatorsprofessional translators

Thank YouThank You

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