UACS Collection of Abstracts 2011 - University American College ...

KeywordsJEL classificationAs illustration I will compare and discuss solutions offered in Macedoniantranslations of English authors, especially Tolkien’s works, and Englishtranslations of Macedonian authors, concentrating on Slavko Janevski’s andVlada Uroshevic’s novels.Finally, the paper should bring deeper insight into best translationstrategies/practices when it comes to translating fantasy literature andmythological creatures.mythology, translation, mythological creatures, Tolkien, UroshevikjAuthor(s)Journal of paperappearanceConference of paperappearanceTitle of the paperAbstractKeywordsJEL classificationMarija TodorovaFrom Teaching to Learning, Current Trends in ELT, South‐East EuropeanUniversity, Tetovo, 9‐ 11 April, 2010Learning to talk is learning to translateThe use of translation has been a fundamental part of language teachingsince the very beginning. Indeed, it must be the oldest language‐teachingtool of all. In his essay “Language and The Human Spirit”, Jim Cummins(2003) observes that “there is an inseparable linkage between theconceptions of language and human identity that we infuse in ourclassroom instruction.” Duff (1989: 7) summarizes succinctly: “Translationdevelops three qualities essential to all language learning: flexibility,accuracy, and clarity. It trains the learner to search (flexibility) for the mostappropriate words (accuracy) to convey what is meant (clarity).” Recentlywe have seen the use of translation in learning a foreign language is muchmaligned by language teachers. However, translation is widely used inlearners’ foreign language learning process. It appears that learners oftenuse translation as a learning strategy to comprehend, remember, andproduce a foreign language. Revisiting the pros and cons of usingtranslation (more precisely, the mother tongue) in the teaching andlearning of a foreign language, I will try to justifies the use of translation inthe English as a Foreign Language classroom and encourages thedevelopment of this as a useful fifth language skill. The use of L1, if usedproperly and judiciously, is a needful, and worthy, pedagogical ally in theteaching, and learning, of English language across all levels.Relatively little research attention so far seems to have been devoted to aconsideration of the use of translation in language learning. Thus, thispaper aims to inspire further research of the role of translation in ESLcontext, and promote cooperation between teachers of language and oftranslation.Translation, ELT, language skills27