QUESTIONING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN THE
CAT CLASSROOM
Joanna DruganSenior Lecturer in Applied Translation Studies
School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication StudiesUniversity of East Anglia
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A CONTRADICTION
We’re called on to develop students’ professional skills/‘competencies’ (Adab 2000;
Hurtado Albir 2007; Katan 2009; Kelly 2008; PACTE 2003).
But practice in the profession varies and evolves quickly, and so do the skills needed.
This is particularly true of technology.
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1985-2015
Microsoft Windows 1.0
20 November 1985:
one language (US-EN)
2015:
how many languages?
1985-2015
Microsoft Windows 1.0
20 November 1985:
one language (US-EN)
2015:
how many languages?
91 (+ sub-languages/‘varieties’)
A CHALLENGE
How can academics:
- Stay abreast of professional developments;
- Integrate these in curricula;
- Do more than reflect professional realities?
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THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY
Other important aims:
- Foster independent inquiry and critical evaluation;
- Encourage risk-free reflection outside the profession;
- Equip students to evolve with/beyond the profession in future;
- Educate, inspire and question beyond the campus.
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WHAT’S WORKED
Collaborate
Question
Research
Share
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REFERENCES
Adab, B. (2000) ‘Evaluating translation competence’. In C. Schäffner and B. Adab (eds.), Developing Translation
Competence (pp. 215-218). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Chan, S.-W. (ed.) (2014) Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Technology. London/New York: Routledge.
Drugan, J. (2015) ‘Issues for professional masters: Bringing the real world into the classroom’. In P. Kneale (ed.)
Masters Level Teaching, Learning and Assessment: Issues in Design and Delivery (pp.158-170). London: Palgrave.
Hurtado Albir, A. (2007) ‘Competence-based curriculum design for training translators’, The Interpreter and Translator
Trainer 1 (2): 163-195.
Katan, D. (2009) ‘Translation theory and professional practice: A global survey of the great divide’, Hermes - Journal
of Language and Communication Studies 42: 111-153.
Kelly, D. (2008) ‘Training the trainers: Towards a description of translator trainer competence and training needs
analysis’, TTR: Traduction, terminologie, rédaction 21(1): 99-125.
PACTE (2003) ‘Building a translation competence model’. In F. Alves (ed.), Triangulating Translation: Perspectives in
Process-Oriented Research (pp.43-66). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
