We live in a world of rapid technological advances which constantly affect the work of professional translators. Suitable training is therefore required for future translators to be able to compete ...on the translation market. With the rise of translation technologies, new ideas have been put forward on how to make translators faster and more efficient. Among the technologies that future translators may not be adequately familiar with are speech recognition tools; these enable translators to dictate their sight translation and have it typed out, allowing more time to focus on the content. However, as with all digital tools, the quality of input is important; a question thus arises on the role pronunciation assumes in such work. The present study aimed to establish how much awareness there is amongst the trainee translators of the possibilities afforded by speech technologies and to explore their perceptions of the role played by pronunciation.
While the importance of excellent pronunciation skills for language professionals is indisputable, research attention has focused mainly on the pronunciation skills of teachers. Nevertheless ...translators, and even more so interpreters, who are constantly engaged in multi-lingual communication with their clients, face a tough competition in the global market and those with poor pronunciation skills are at a considerable disadvantage. Developing good pronunciation skills is thus an aspect that should not be neglected in the training of translators and interpreters, since it may directly affect their prospects of employment. The paper explores the views of Slovene trainee translators on the pronunciation of English. Their self-perception of English pronunciation skills and expectations concerning their pronunciation are examined by using a questionnaire administered to trainee translators at the University of Ljubljana. The questionnaire results provide an insight into the participants’ perceptions of their attained pronunciation proficiency and their attention to pronunciation instruction. The analysis of the replies reveals that trainee translators view pronunciation as an important element of their speaking proficiency, highlighting the issue of intelligibility as an essential component of communicative competence. The findings raise interesting issues important for pronunciation teaching in translator training, underlining the necessity to identify specific learner needs of future translators and interpreters.
V prispevku se posvečamo študiji, ki predstavlja uporabniško izkušnjo in odnos študentov prevajalstva na Univerzi v Ljubljani do jezikovnih virov in prevajalskih pripomočkov, saj se v času ...informacijske družbe od bodočih prevajalcev pričakuje, da so v kar največji meri digitalno osveščeni, predvsem pa seznanjeni z relevantnimi viri informacij. Študija se v prvem delu osredotoča na odnos študentov do angleških in slovenskih jezikovnih virov in na strategije reševanja prevajalskih zagat pri prevajanju kolokacij ter rabo različnih relevantnih jezikovnih virov. Raziskava je v drugem delu osredinjena na opazovanje prevajalskega procesa in rabo Kolokacijskega slovarja sodobne slovenščine (KSSS) pri prevajanju izbranih kolokacij iz angleščine v slovenščino. Rezultati študije so pokazali, da se študenti zavedajo prednosti reševanja prevodnih težav s pomočjo relevantnih jezikovnih virov, saj se je strategija vključevanja kolokacijskega slovarja v prevajalski proces izkazala za relativno uspešno. Vendar pa je obenem pokazala, da je že v času študija nujno dodatno osveščati študente o naprednih funkcijah tega jezikovnega vira, predvsem pa spodbujati iskanje po relevantnih virih in kritično ovrednotenje najdenih informacij z zavedanjem, da je v prevajalskem procesu nujno poiskati takšne prevodne rešitve, ki so v danem kontekstu najustreznejše.
V prispevku predstavljamo Prevajalsko prakso Oddelka za prevajalstvo Univerze v Ljubljani, ki je zasnovana praktično in usmerjena ciljno. S prenovo študijskih programov po smernicah bolonjske reforme ...je na Oddelku za prevajalstvo kot obvezni del magistrskega programa Prevajanje/Tolmačenje predvideno praktično usposabljanje v obliki Prevajalske prakse. Prevajalska praksa je za študente odlična priložnost za vpogled v realno prevajalsko situacijo, delodajalci pa tako lahko spoznajo potencialne bodoče sodelavce. Namen Prevajalske prakse je obogatiti in nadgraditi kakovost študija, omogočiti kasnejšo zaposljivost, ponuditi študentom, da že med študijem spoznajo dobre prakse s področja prevajanja in ponuditi možnosti dela z najsodobnejšimi tehnologijami. Študenti dobijo priložnost, da znanje, pridobljeno na fakulteti, prenesejo v svoje prevajalsko delo in obenem pridobivajo znanja, veščine in izkušnje, ki jim bodo kasneje omogočile učinkovitejšo integracijo v prevajalski sektor. V prispevku podrobneje pregledamo specifične pristope k izvajanju takšne študentske prakse, ki so se v zadnjih desetih letih izoblikovali na Oddelku za prevajalstvo in ponujajo model dobre prakse tudi v širšem okviru praktičnega usposabljanja.
Following the Bologna reform, Translation Work Placement, designed as a practical, hands-on experience in translation, has become a compulsory part of EMT translator training at the University of ...Ljubljana, Slovenia. Combined with courses entailing Situated Learning and professional aspects of translation, it offers an insight into real-life translation practices enabling MA-level trainee translators to gain new skills and experience. This paper explores the work-readiness of future translators from the perspective of Language Service Providers (LSPs) offering work placement to trainees from the University of Ljubljana. Our study investigates the expectations and impressions of Slovene LSPs on trainee translators' profession-related knowledge, skills and competences. The findings of the survey with LSPs in Slovenia reveal that Translation Work Placement is a contributing factor in bridging the gap between the educational and workplace settings. However, the results of the study also show that in addition to the development of disciplinary knowledge, skills and competences, translator training could place more efforts into the acquisition of those transferable skills and competences which foster professional development and enhance employability in the ever-changing professional workplace settings.
The guest editors' objective was to open up a space for researchers to reflect on and rethink the role of different categories of translation and interpreting in contemporary contexts, engaging with ...both theory and practice.
This paper explores the changes detected in the utilization of translation resources1 by trainee translators working with the Slovene–English language pair in Slovenia. To test the assumption that ...rapid advances in information and communication technologies have made a significant impact on translation practice, a study involving two generations of translation students in Ljubljana was designed to examine whether their practice of using translation aids has changed over a certain period of time. This population will soon have to compete with their professional counterparts; it is therefore crucial they are fully equipped not only with the necessary translation knowledge, but also that they are skilled in advanced translation aids, as this will cater for the demands of the modern translation market where an efficient use of translation resources appears to be vital for successful intercultural communication. The results of the study indicate some changes can be detected even within a short period of time.
This article examines the impact of electronic reference resources on the quality of translated texts, particularly when translators work into their language B. To test the impact of electronic aids ...on the quality of translated output, an experimental study involving twenty student translators was conducted. Participants, who had to translate two texts from Slovene into English, were divided into two 10-member groups (Group One and Group Two). Different conditions regulating access to paper and electronic resources during the translation task were set for each group. Pre- and post-experiment questionnaires to elicit views on the contribution of electronic reference resources to the translator's work, both from trainee translators and external evaluators, also informed the analysis. This article reports on two aspects of the study: the external evaluators ' assessment of a sample of translations produced by trainee translators into their language B; and the extent to which the (un) availability of electronic resources influenced the participants' approach to translation difficulties. Although the findings suggest that the use of electronic resources enhances both the productivity of translators and the quality of their translations, such aids can also be detrimental when used uncritically.
It has been argued that the growing impact of new technologies on society should be reflected in education in response to the digital generation's extensive dependence on digital tools. This paper ...focuses on the incorporation of digital technologies into translator training by comparing the benefits and drawbacks of wikis, a collaborative online writing and editing tool, and face-to-face communication. In the study, trainee translators' performance in and attitudes towards face-to-face and digital revision are examined. Two groups of 12 trainee translators were asked to complete two pair-work assignments involving translation and revision: in the first, the participants were engaged in face-to-face interaction, while wiki collaboration was used in the second. The results show that the number of revisions was higher in wiki assignments, but there were no differences in the types of revisions. A short questionnaire shows that the participants' opinions of both modes of revision were positive: face-to-face revision was deemed somewhat easier and more efficient in terms of communication, whereas wiki revision was considered more effective in terms of time management. These findings call for further exploration of issues, such as pair dynamics, communication and flexibility, and their impact on the application of wikis to translator training.
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