Exploring MA students' attitudes to translation theory and practice : an action-research approach

Hanna, S

Abstract

Most translation and interpreting programmes in the UK involve two main aspects: one is theoretical, meant to familiarize students with the history of translation and the most recent theoretical developments in the field, and the second focusses on practical training in two languages familiar to the students. While the relevance of the practical component of these programmes is acknowledged by students, the importance of the theoretical aspect has not been easily accepted. This article examines the attitudes of MA students to both components of translation/ interpreting pedagogy, using an action-research approach. Drawing on social psychology, the concept of 'attitude' is used to mean the individuals' predispositions to classify and evaluate objects, events and other individuals and to react to them with a minimum of consistency. 'Attitude' is an epistemological construct that cannot be objectively measured but is rather inferred through observable patterns of behaviour and verbal reports produced by the subjects of study in the form of questionnaires of interviews. These inferences are partly fashioned by the interpretive and subjective position of the observer. The author's self-reflection on his different roles as a previous student of translation theory and practice and then as teacher and researcher of translation is occasioned by the awareness of his subjective position in this study.

Citation

Hanna, S. (2009). Exploring MA students' attitudes to translation theory and practice : an action-research approach. Sign Language Translator and Interpreter, 3(2), 141-155

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Oct 26, 2011
• Journal: The Sign Language Translator and Interpreter
• Print ISSN: 1750-3981
• Publisher: St Jerome Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 141-155
• Keywords: Attitude, action research, translation theory, translation practice, social psychology, MA translation programmes