rethinking translation in the second language classroom

Table 3: Communicative activity #2
2. INTERVIEW WITH ISABEL ALLENDE
Focus: Communication
Skills: - oral comprehension
- written comprehension and
production
Duration: 50 minutes
Material: Source text in L1
Parallel text in L2
Translation strategies:
translation into L2
use of parallel texts in L2
analysis and awareness of conversational
dynamics
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Level: Intermediate
Advanced
Organization: Group work
Objectives:
Linguistics
- To use all type of grammatical aspects.
Communicative
- To become familiar with the pragmatic
structure of an interview.
Cultural
- To become aware of differences between
interviewing in L1 and in L2.
The use of parallel texts in translation is crucial for the production of an accurate text in L2. The
point of this activity is to make students realize the importance of doing research in the topic of
translation, as well as to become familiar with the terminology needed in L2.
Structure of the activity
Step 1 – Pre-analysis: Translate interview into L2 (for in-class activity purposes, there should
be a selection of paragraphs from the whole interview)
Step 2 – Analysis: compare your translation with parallel texts in L2. Check if your translation
has answers for these questions.
- What elements of discourse create cohesion and coherence? Take a closer look
at pronouns, adverbs, connectors, and verb tenses.
- How is the information structured? (old vs. new)
- Can you find an example of an adjacency pair? Is the turn-taking predictable? If so,
explain why.
Step 3 – Post-analysis: Reflect on differences between interviewing in L1 and L2, and write
down your conclusions. What social and/or political values are implied in this discourse?
Project: According to the model of interview you just analyzed, interview your classmate about
his/her hobbies.