constructing pathways to translation - Higher Education Commission

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Translation can be aimed at helping learners to develop communicative skills and
strategies, oral fluency and a skill of using the foreign language, creatively. Activities
can be used which extend the skill of note, letter and essay writing, summarising,
paraphrase, simplification, etc. Conversely, the same activities can be used at a higher
level of proficiency, to prevent undesirable avoidance strategies. Translation can be a
useful pedagogic resource, if tempered with caution, by taking into account the
Principles of Translation Theory. These principles, which seek to balance the many
opposing forces that exert their influence on the target text, should underlie translation
activity, whether in the real world, or in the classroom.
3.6.2 REASONS FOR USING TRANSLATION IN THE CLASSROOM
1. Influence of the Mother Tongue:
The mother tongue shapes one’s way of thinking, and to some extent, the use of the
foreign language. The interactive influence of L1 and L2 is well-known to language
teachers. Translation helps one to understand better, the influence of one language on
the other, and to correct errors of habit that creep in unnoticed. And because
translation involves contrast, it enables one to explore the potential of both languages:
their strengths and weaknesses. Corrective action and remedial measures promote
comparative language learning.
2. Naturalness of Activity:
Translation is a natural and necessary activity used outside the classroom as well in
offices, banks, ships and airports .Translation is going on all the time.
3. The Skills Aspect:
Language competence is a two way system –one needs to be able to communicate
both ways into and from the foreign language.
4. The Reality of Language:
The proper material of translation is authentic, not ‘made up’ language, and all
language is relevant to translation – all styles and registers of both speech and writing.
5. Usefulness:
As a language using activity, translation has many merits. The chief among these are: