(According to schedule)
- Reconceptualizing Translators' ́Competences (Gabriela Escarrá)
The translation profession is constantly evolving and technological advances are making the industry more efficient. However, as translation and communication technologies continue to evolve, the debate should center not on when human linguists will become obsolete, but rather on what competences will be needed. It is necessary to define, determine and recognize the new role of translators.
As professional translators, we have to adapt ourselves to new environments with new challenges to consider. In the future, some tasks will certainly change but those translators who focus on education, creativity and quality will still have an important role to play. The translation profession will need to reposition itself in order to exploit the full potential of value-adding high quality human translation.
The aim of this presentation is to present the fundamental aspects of some competences in the future of the translation profession. The speaker will first give an overview of the translation competences set forth in ISO standards and will subsequently refer to the cornerstones of competence-based translator training, including linguistic and extra linguistic competences; the ability to solve technical problems and apply strategies; the ability to analyze, to synthesize and to think critically and creatively.
- Our Value as Professional Translators (Dolores R. Guiñazú)
The future developments in the language service industry promise to improve turnaround times and production. However, there is no better resource for supporting today's technology than professional human translators.
Collaboration is Key. In the era of the machines, we need to focus on the importance of human collaboration. Content can be standardized, localized or created from scratch. Standardization may not reach global audiences evenly. By localizing or creating ultra-targeted content we connect with the audience on a deeper and more effective level.
Empathy is our superpower. Humans are hardwired for stories. And we need to be very good storytellers. By developing an emotional connection, companies build trust and thrive.
We have to remember that, as translators we make art with our unique words in each step of the translation process. In this session we will explore what it means to localize digital content. Attendees will come away with an understanding of what it takes to be a valuable specialist translator touching lives and leaving long-lasting impressions in specific target segments.
- Artificial intelligence in the training of Translators and Interpreters VRID 1981 (Veltri et al)
El rápido desarrollo de la inteligencia artificial (IA) en la acumulación de datos, su almacenamiento computarizado, el procesamiento de la información y la capacidad para resolver problemas, ha traído como consecuencia una situación impensada para la educación: se deben hacer cambios urgentes en el enfoque de nuestro desarrollo del conocimiento e inteligencia, como así también en la formación de los educadores, para que no se dejen llevar por la inercia originada por la admiración a la capacidad de la IA. Como formadores, debemos contribuir al desarrollo de las habilidades específicas de cuestionar la evidencia, de entender que el conocimiento es subjetivo y contextualizado y que debemos construir nuestro conocimiento del mundo a través de nuestras interacciones sociales y análisis crítico (habilidades no presentes en la IA). Un sistema de inteligencia artificial es capaz de analizar datos en grandes cantidades y de identificar patrones y tendencias. Esto significa que puede formular predicciones de forma automática, con rapidez y precisión.
Algunas profesiones han experimentado más la invasión de la IA que otras, como es el caso de la traducción. Tal es el ritmo al que avanza la tecnología en este sector que muchos se preguntan si algún día el traductor será reemplazado por una máquina. El futuro no se puede predecir, pero sí podemos establecer los lineamientos para la correcta interacción basada en la valorización del conocimiento y pensamiento humano y el desarrollo de las habilidades intelectuales que ayuden a garantizar el permanente desarrollo de la inteligencia humana, individual y social.
Es obvio que la tecnología ayuda y seguirá ayudando a la traducción, automatizará gran parte de tareas y hará que traduzcamos más rápidamente y mejor. De momento, la traducción automática carece de la fiabilidad necesaria para prescindir de la labor del traductor o post-editor humano y habrá textos en los que tal vez nunca lo haga, porque carece de inteligencia contextualizada, social y comunitaria, aspectos que las máquinas todavía no han conseguido dominar. El factor humano permite detectar toda una serie de características que hay que tener en cuenta para producir una traducción eficaz y precisa. Ese subtexto invisible y no detectable cuantitativamente se refiere a una forma particular de pensar y conceptualizar la realidad. Resumiendo, la inteligencia humana aporta sensibilidades, sutilezas lingüísticas, contexto social y comunitario, selección de la información de acuerdo a situaciones específicas, y muchos otros conceptos que humanizan y acercan a los seres humanos.
El trabajo de campo que apoyará a esta investigación se centrará en el desarrollo de técnicas educativas que permitan llevar a cabo lo arriba especificado: incentivar la capacitación continua en el desarrollo de la inteligencia humana, de la eficacia personal, de las habilidades para interactuar con la IA, del discernimiento socio-cultural y de selección de información.
Este proyecto se enmarca dentro de las actividades del DoET (Department of Educational Technology) de la Escuela de Lenguas Modernas de la USAL, que tiene entre sus objetivos el de promover el uso racional, crítico y ético de la tecnología.
Por todo lo antedicho, consideramos que la propuesta presenta relevancia institucional, ya que se focaliza de manera específica en la formación de grado de los estudiantes de las carreras de traducción e interpretación de nuestra Escuela. Los resultados redundarán en aplicaciones prácticas para los futuros traductores y para sus formadores, como así también para la institución, ya que brindará sustento para la inclusión en la currícula de estos aspectos que resultan insoslayables en el contexto educativo y profesional actual.
- Translating, an act of interpreting (Raúl Narváez)
As the act of translating implies working on languages, in line with the definition which Roman Jakobson gives of translation and Jacques Lacan of language, the act of translating will be explored from the integration of both approaches.
Jakobson, in his definition of the act of translating, makes specific reference to the notion of interpreting. In his definition of language, Lacan to that of the signifier. Lacan has, no doubt, made a valuable contribution to a novel possible view of the act of translating.
To both illustrate and support the theoretical speculations presented, an ad hoc corpus of texts, mostly taken from literature, will be used. They will be projected to facilitate the cognitive access to the approach being developed.
During the analytical stage, attention will be paid to the act of interpreting performed by a translator. At the moment of constructing his product, interpreting becomes a key procedural instrument. It allows a translator to go deep into the chains of signifiers in the original text to then make his own decisions according to what he considers to be the right choice.
A contrastive analysis of versions offered by different translators will be carried out to highlight the approach put forward.
- The Schoolmaster and his Queen: lessons from Elizabeth I’s translations for our time (Magalí Libardi)
During the last few months of 2019 news broke of the discovery of a never before seen translation of Tacitus’s Annales undertaken by Queen Elizabeth I. The manuscript is valuable as it not only complements the portrait of a particularly cultured sovereign, but also sheds new light on translation practices in Tudor England, and serves to illustrate the significance of underlying principles and methods in the practice and product of translation. Since said principles and methods are primarily transmitted in an educational context, this paper aims to explore the relationship between the Queen –then Lady Elizabeth– and the scholar Roger Ascham, who was to act as her private tutor in Greek and Latin between 1548 and 1550. We will attempt to show that Ascham’s “Double Translation” method guided the Queen’s translation endeavours, so as to highlight the importance of taking into account the sociological dimension in research done in the field of Translations Studies.
- The role of Short-Term Memory in Conference Interpreter training. Identification of obstacles and development of a specific teaching methodology. VRID 1775 (Andrada et al)
This research project on the training of the conference interpreter is based on three closely related concepts: memory (short-term memory and working memory), language (source language and target language) and comprehension. Their interrelation is essential to understand how the brain carries out the cognitive processes of learning. Language is acquired by listening and speaking, what is known as the phonological loop. Neuroscience and neuroimaging studies have revealed that a person’s mother tongue is processed in the left hemisphere. But the brain areas used for second language learning also require the intervention of the right hemisphere. To develop higher executive functions, basic cognitive functions are required: perception, language, memory and attention. Proper training of these aspects will result in a good-quality interpretation. Thus, a key complement to this research project is fieldwork based on the findings on the cognitive functions of working memory, short and long-term memory, and the phonological loop in interpreter training. Fieldwork focuses on the practical application of the phonological loop whose function is to temporarily maintain the information that is verbally encoded in the working memory. The brain can be exercised like the muscles of the body. Just as physical activity benefits the musculoskeletal apparatus, continuous cognitive stimulation benefits mental flexibility and reduces the response time (time lag) that is essential for the interpreter’s good performance. Brain plasticity favors the formation of new synaptic connections that strengthen neural networks. Thus, the fieldwork consists of exercises aimed at the flexibilization of the student’s working and short-term memory to develop its three primary functions: Concentration - Attention - Retention. To do so, the following is needed: 1) the visuospatial agenda: which consists of visualizing the information to be interpreted, for example, a number; 2) the phonological loop: information is repeated internally before verbal production; 3) the combination of both. Exercises are divided into word level categories: phrase, sentence, paragraph, concrete and abstract stories, individual and combined numbers. The left and right hemispheres of the brain are trained by: a) Writing and drawing with both hands (various exercises); b) Different movements with both hands in a mirrored pattern; c) Writing or drawing something specific while listening to a story and answering questions about it. The alternating and divided attention is exercised by: a) Clozing exercises (anticipation): the student must fill in the blank spaces; b) Mirroring exercises: the student reads a text that is "upside down" (mirror-writing); first, the student reads the text in the same language, then, he performs a first-sight interpretation of the text. Synthesis and semantic memory are trained by: a) Synthesis exercises. The student reproduces only the main idea. Then, the exercise is repeated to reproduce only key details. Attention is trained to help memorizing, avoiding the distractions that lead to forget or overlook key details. b) Exercises of association and dissociation with figures and acronyms that aim at storing information. The goal is to achieve proficiency in various skills, especially those related to synthesis and semantic memory (resorting to previous knowledge stored in the "database" of long-term memory). The achievement of a high mental agility of the student is essential, since interpretation is based on a continuous cycle between three functions: input and storage of information in the source language, working memory processing and output of the processed data in the target language, that is to say, verbal production.
- English as a medium of instruction in practice (Susan Hillyard)
This presentation relates the personal experience of training, in a three stage model, six groups of Chinese professors to teach their majors at undergraduate or Master’s level in English. The groups were located in three top ranked universities in two cities in China and the training was done over a three year period. The professors were experienced teachers of more than 20 different majors ranging through chemistry, law, business administration, meteorology, computer science and many more. The English language competence of the professors varied, especially in terms of pronunciation, but all were B1 and above.
The programme used is the “Academic Teaching Excellence” course, designed and promoted by the British Council which operates EMI all over China in partnership with the local Bureau of Education in the specific provinces where the Universities are located. This programme is designed to raise awareness among the trainees of the skills they need to develop in order to change from teaching in Chinese to teaching through English. It is also designed to encourage them to change their teaching style of simply lecturing to using communicative methodology. It covers the four complex areas of modification of language used, presentation skills development, creating a community of learning and strategies for teaching.
I will explain the challenges posed to both the trainer and the trainees and report on the perceived successes and failures.
- Let’s escape the classroom to cater for our students’ needs! (Lidia Casalini, Carla Alberio)
Teaching these generations implies exploring new ways of fostering motivation, promoting 21 st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving. team work as well as students’ creativity. This usually requires moving away from the traditional teaching context. By creating a fun classroom atmosphere, escape the classroom challenges may represent a priceless asset both for the students and the teacher. Qualitative and quantitative evidence show that if learners are offered a gamified environment they become more engaged and autonomous while working on the activation of prior knowledge, revision, or formative assessments. Immediate feedback makes the experience more profitable.
Reports of students’ progress help the teacher cater for their learners’ needs. In this presentation we will share some insights we have gained from implementing these games within both at primary, secondary school and at teacher training colleges.
- Using Mistakes as a Springboard for Teaching English (Pablo Demarchi)
In traditional language education, mistakes were discouraged because there was a long-held belief that if students made errors, these flawed instances of language production would quickly become a permanent part of the learners’ speech repertoire (Richards, 2006). With the advent of the Communicative Approach, mistakes began to be accepted, and even celebrated, since they were considered an integral part of the learning process. However, many teachers stillwince at their students’ mistakes and do not see the potential they have for learning and teaching. This presentation aims to discuss typical grammatical and phonological mistakes Spanish speakers make and to explore different ideas on how to make the most of those errors in the language classroom.
- Educational Drama to make language learning meaningful, memorable and motivating (Valeria Plou)
Teaching a language at University level can be very challenging in that the students know what they want, have many subjects to study and maybe a job to do in their “spare” time leaving them little time to study. In addition, they may have very different needs and very different levels of competence. So, how do we address these problems? Educational Drama may be the answer. Many people associate Drama with performing and taking part in school plays but Drama in Education is something different. We draw on elements and strategies of Drama to enable learners to create and inhabit fictional worlds so that they can get plenty of experience in the speaking skills through real interaction in real or imagined contexts. It allows them to bring their interests, their curiosity and background to the language learning process as well as to develop the key 21st century skillsof Communication, Creativity, Collaboration and Critical thinking. Through the use of drama techniques students become actively involved in class and learning becomes more meaningful, motivating and fun.
This presentation will explore dramatic techniques and resources through practical examples and collaborative activities to show the participants how, by appealing to their bodies, minds and souls, language learning can be made more appealing and memorable.
- "All Great Neptune's Ocean". Shakespeare's Invention of Words (Valeria Rodriguez Van Dam)
This article offers a reflection about some of the numberless liberties Shakespeare takes with the English language. Part of his audacious approach to writing is defined by the creative tensioning he operates on the language to counterbalance the absence of novelty from the plots of his works. This is where the innovative strength of his production resides; that which surprises, challenges and captivates the intelligence and aesthetic emotion of his perceptive Elizabethan audiences, used to discerning attentiveness. Each lexical invention presented for scrutiny here is briefly contextualized and accompanied by a consideration of its semantic multiplicity, both within the text and in conjunction with other texts to which it alludes directly or indirectly. The resulting linguistic and conceptual complexity highlights the many- faceted value of each of these innovations and their problematizing function within the Shakespearean text.
- Two tales of retribution (Jorge Converso)
Since its genesis, the short story has been a form of narrative tackled by some of the most outstanding writers in the history of literature. This paper intends to explore and compare a theme –retribution—in two short stories written by two authors of note: Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado, and Jorge Luis Borges’s Emma Zunz.It is common knowledge that Borges’s and Poe’s lives and backgrounds were far from being alike . The aim of this paper is to show – regardless of the obvious, inevitable chronological, cultural and geographical differences between these tales-- the multiple similarities in the way both authors approach the retribution theme, concentrating on how Montresor’s idea of perfect revenge in The Cask of Amontillado is, in more ways than one, mirrored by the behaviour of the protagonist of Borges’s story. This does not imply considering vengeance from a moral point of view, but just looking into how two characters in the realm of literature view the issue. Quotes from both works have been included for the sake of highlighting, exemplifying and clarifying these points in common. Borges acknowledged the influence of Poe in his overall work, and this parallel analysis may shed some light on this topic.
- A Past That Never Was and a Future That Never Will Be. Alternate History Science Fiction and World War II (Andrea Rodriguez)
For the average reader, Science Fiction may bring images of space exploration, alien civilizations and sophisticated technology, among others. The genre, nonetheless, offers a wide variety of branches that transcend the aforementioned themes commonly associated with hard science. One subdivision in particular will be of interest for our present work: alternate history.
Alternate history science fiction narratives explore divergent timelines that arise as a product of the non-occurrence of certain historical events. In other words, authors hypothesize realities in which specific World History turning points have not taken place. These hypotheses then try to answer the question “what if...?” Such method is not unknown for History as it is applied in what is known as Speculative History. For this reason, it is in this subdivision that science fiction adopts several elements from the social sciences.
We will explore alternate history fiction works in which the different divergence points irradiate from WWII in particular. Conducting a comparative analysis of certain elements present in these narratives will allow us to introduce the different techniques and resources through which alternate history science fiction is constructed. The result of the analysis will allow us to postulate possible aims of a genre where history and story meet.
- The Hunt in the Forest VRID 1880 (Malvina Aparicio)
- Titus Andronicus: The Ultimate Predator Unleashed VRID 1880 (Laura Calderón)
Until Peter Brook’s performance in 1955 at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, starring Laurence Olivier as Titus and Vivien Leigh as Lavinia,Titus Andronicus had not been given much attention. The play, considered too far-fetched up to then,suddenly gained new meaning in the context of the 20 th century military dictatorships.With the image of the army greatly damaged as a consequence, this paper tackles the issue ofmilitary violence in the hope of reaching some understanding of this kind of behavior. I willdo so by taking an ecocritical approach to the subject.This paper is grounded on the unquestionable fact that humans are not only thinking minds inside a body but also, creatures of nature, and as such, are endowed with animal attributes(instinct, etc) that make them both admirable and frightening, capable of self-sacrifice and of great brutality. Hence the exploration of the mechanisms whereby the character of Titus, played by Anthony Hopkins in Julie Taymor’s 1999 film production, goes from protective soldier to ultimate predator, in a series of steps just as Rome, hisecosystem, proves also to have descended into an ‘urbanized’ wilderness.The comparison of the soldier character to that of the barbarous Queen Tamora will thenshow two different ways of exercising violence which, after running its appointedcourse, will end up in total meaninglessness. Finally, the consequences of meaninglessness inhuman behaviour will be exposed (cf. V Frankl’s logotherapy) especially in that of the soldierwho, trained for sacrifice and (self)controlled violence for the sake of the advancement of his people and country, finishes by crushing all that he was meant to preserve.
- The Rape of Lucrece: Guilt, Power and Sacrifice VRID 1880 (García)
In ‘The Rape of Lucrece’, long poem dating from 1594, Shakespeare avails himself of a well-known legend about Tarquin, the son of the King of Rome, who is captivated by Lucrece’s beauty and charm as her husband, Collatine, describes her to him. The following day, Tarquin travels to Collatine’s home and spends the night there. Incapable of controlling his desire, he rapes her. She commits suicide after telling her family what has happened, and the citizens, moved by the sight of Lucrece’s bloodied body paraded through the city of Rome by the family, bring down the monarchical government and instaure the republic. An ecofeministic approach to the poem has much more to say. According to Andrew Weiner and Simone de Beauvoir, women are treated as the Other while men are the Self, that is why men achieve the state of completeness. Not so with women. We, women are still under their ownership. Tarquin wants to possess Lucrece, leading him to trespass on Collatine’s property. He pollutes another man’s territory. Lucrece undergoes Tarquin’s control and abuse which deprives her of her humanity and turns her into an ‘it’. But through her body, she retrieves her dignity and prevents Rome’s doom.
- Why learn about the latest trends in British English pronunciation? (Chris Kunz)
Estuary English, or should we say the “Standard British Pronunciation Model” these days, is certainly pushing its way into our discourse hard and fast enough to start referring to Received Pronunciation as a model from “the good old days”. The malleability and ductility of Estuary English is so remarkable that it has managed to penetrate other varieties of British English as well as those Englishes spoken in many other parts of the world. This is clearly because of its fantastic ability to easily lend itself to suiting the needs of such a heterogeneous language group. Therefore, analysing the pronunciation of the latest British model will not only help everyone achieve higher levels of communication, but will also help teachers bridge the gap between unrealistic pronunciation teaching and realistic pronunciation teaching in action. When it comes to our students, it should be the teacher’s job to actually help them not only to pronounce English more intelligibly, but also to understand the speech of others as much and as often as possible, including less carefully articulated speech which may sometimes even be regarded as “sloppy”. More and more speakers of English these days seem to prioritise the message they wish to put across to their intended listeners as opposed to the sounds which make up their actual utterances. Consequently, proactively assisting our students in the process of optimising their English pronunciation plays a crucial role since this will undoubtedly help them to become successful communicators of their messages and ideas. Estuary English, or should we say the “Standard British Pronunciation Model” these days, is pushing its way into our discourse hard and fast. Consequently, proactively assisting our students to productively understand these “new” pronunciation trends own will undoubtedly help them to become successful communicators of their messages and ideas. In this interactive presentation Chris will debunk a few pronunciation myths.
- Stigma, prestige, and identity – case studies on the English of the North of England (Tania Oblak, Ana Laura Pagliaro)
In this present work, we intend to reflect on the social significance of speaking a regional dialect, in this particular case, the one from the North of England, instead of a Standard dialect, and on the attitude we noticed native speakers showed towards their language while we were exchange students at the University of Chester In this way, we mean to carry out an analysis in order to provide a plausible explanation to the persistence of the Northern dialect, even in those subjects who had moved elsewhere. Within the sociolinguistic frameworks of Trudgill and Wells’s phonological theoretical background, we provide new examples, in a qualitative analysis of cases we personally witnessed while in Chester. Considering our framework, it is in our interest to reveal potential connotations of the dialect, both in the minds of the speakers and in the minds of those who do not speak that dialect. The analysis of the social representations is based both on the aforementioned theoretical background and on the claims of speakers, as well as on our own personal perceptions as witnesses.
- The Secrets of Nonfinites (Patricia Policastro)
Nonfinites, Verbals and Reduced Clauses are some of the names given to a series of verb-like structures which are well-known for behaving oddly when making their appearence in poems, novels, stories, academic essays, scientific articles or colloquial language. For teachers, these sometimes called “phrases” may simply be another grammatical item in their syllabi queueing to be taught. For linguists and grammar researchers, they could constitute a topic worth being dug into its depths. Contrariwise, for students, verbals will definitely be another challenging subject matter to be dealt with. Probably one of the obstacles to overcome has to do with the semantic difference between finites and nonfinites: “[…] the nonfinite clause is typically assumed not yet to have happened. The contrast is thus one of reality status.”(Jacobs, p.91) Curiously, the complexity posed by these so-called “embedded clauses” is a non-exclusive characteristic of the English language. Our mother tongue –the Spanish language- can be as defiant as the Anglo-Saxon in regard to infinitives, participles and gerundives. The purpose of this speech lies on the discovery of not only the features of these non-conjugated phrases but also the wide range of possibilities that they can offer to both the spoken and the written English language.
Writing
- Peer-review activities: Transitioning from private to public writing (Laura Colombo)
Most of the written works produced by language teacher trainees while pursuing their degree are only read by professors and are meant to evaluate students (Carlino, Iglesia & Laxalt, 2013). Writing, then, seems to be conceptualized as a mere conduit to communicate something that students already knew. This does not only neglect the epistemic function of writing (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1987) but also oversimplifies the writing process (Russell, 2013). With the aim of reframing the place of writing in teacher education, this presentation shows how feedback practices can become an arena where students reflect on their own writing processes as well as enact and learn a scholarly practice. Specifically, it shares some concrete ways of scaffolding learning (Vygotsky, 1986) by transitioning from whole-class to peer-centered revision activities. On the whole, this pedagogical stance embraces rethinking student writing as a place where they work not only with texts but also with their own identities (Kamler & Thomson, 2007) as academic writers.
- Writing with a clear aim in mind (Parise)
Among life skills in language learning, a fundamental tool to grasp and develop is writing purposefully. It is an essential skill for the different scenarios a learner needs to interact and perform in a foreign language. As a teacher, I can share practical ideas to contribute to fulfilling this objective.
The following session seeks reflection upon a series of ideas which result from my own teaching experience. These ideas have been translated into practical activities which can be easily implemented in the classroom. When writing occurs in the real world, be it in a business environment or in an academic context, the first difficulties a student faces are connected with the fact that they need to be effective, purposeful and as clear as possible. It is our goal as teachers to provide students with useful tools, techniques and formulas learners can resort to when they are confronted with writing tasks throughout their daily lives. As a starting point, there will be a brief description of the typical student who has this basic need, by describing the setting and target. Also, life skills closely associated with writing as part of the challenges students can encounter in everyday life will be briefly outlined, including, among others, critical thinking, problem solving, being able to work independently, to handle communication and to build up a network. There will be a display of a variety of tips which can be applied to writing before, during and after doing a specific task.
