How to train your translator

KFU researchers tried to answer this question in Text Approach Methodology in Translators Training (Economic Discourse).

Co-author, Associate Professor Tatiana Baklashova explains, “We tried to identify and analyze difficulties that students of economics encounter while forming their discourse competence, to create methodology of work with translation of economic texts, and to test that methodology in practice.

“Among the problems that we found is, in particular, a lack of knowledge of different types of discourses and professional genres, such as annotation, summary, thesis, message, biography, business letter, personal letter, scientific report, result statement, etc. Structuring of speech with adequate linguistic tools also poses problems.”

Summary method was proposed as a way of professional training.

“As a test result, we concluded that summary translation can be of dual use – it helps better acquire second language skills and develops perception, analytical qualities, and critical thinking during annotation of summary writing in the second language in accordance with situational and speech norms.” adds Dr. Baklashova.

Thanks to this method, students can learn to understand the gist of a text, find basic points, extract logical links, adequately interpret and structure information while preserving all the given text parameters.