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NETWORK ENCULTURATION PROCESSES IN DEVELOPING TRANSLATION COMPETENCE
N.N. Udina
The Department of Foreign Languages of Law Faculty Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
6, Miklukho-Maklaya st., Moscow, Russia, 117198
Competence approach in education emphasizes capabilities of using acquired knowledge in various spheres of people's life. Foreign language and translation competence acquisition has been considered as one of fundamental objectives in training highly qualified specialists. Network enculturation model for developing language and translation competence has been worked out to enhance teaching and learning process using new information and communication technologies and integrating subject and cultural studies to respond to current challenges in education.
Key words: acculturation model in second language acquisition; network enculturation model in language (LSP) and translation competence acquisition; translation competence models; the Internet as a new cultural phenomenon; semiotic principles of translation.
Theoretical framework
Social impact of information technologies on education has been both beneficial and challenging. Considering language and translation learning and teaching considerable changes can be seen in the concept of translation which is reflected in a number of terms given to this process — language transfer, adaptation, language mediation, language service provision, language management, etc. to name but a few [7].
Cultural issues have become another important point in education and various social spheres due to the integration processes, academic and professional mobility and the use of the Internet.
Cultural studies related to learning language for specific purpose (LSP) mostly focus on cross-cultural communication, there has been «a cultural turn» in translation studies [4; 12], in social sphere acculturation processes have been always in the spotlight . Acculturation being related mostly to migration has become lately a wider concept including professional acculturation, legal acculturation etc.
The Acculturation model in foreign language learning has been developed by J. Schumann within the second language acquisition theory in 1978. The author claimed that the degree of language proficiency depended on the degree of learners' acculturation into the target language society. This model comprises a taxonomy of the factors influencing the process of second language acquisition among them social, affective, personality, cognitive, biological, aptitude, personal, input and instructional factors [11. P. 29].
It was also noted that in some cases second language acquisition was possible without intensive contacts with native speakers and was due to enculturation processes [11. P. 49].
The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) brought about new social networks, new cultural concepts and language patterns. The Internet has been not only the new means of communication and information sphere but a new cultural phenomenon and a means of acculturation.
The concept of the Network enculturation model [2] has been introduced for effective use of new technologies in teaching LSP. This approach could be beneficial both for language acquisition and effective learning. According to S. Krashen acquisition has been seen as the basic process for developing language proficiency and learning as the conscious representation of linguistic knowledge which cannot alone lead to language acquisition [6. P. 19-39].
The terms acculturation and enculturation differ in interpretation by the opposition: different culture — the same culture. Acculturation means «the adoption of new cultural patterns following contact between groups»; enculturation is defined as «the process of formally and informally learning and internalizing the prevailing values, and accepted behavioural patterns of a culture [3. P. 2, 143]. So the notion of enculturation seems to be more relevant to new cultural sphere — the Internet which is common to all users, to common professional groups and globalization processes in culture in general. The collocation «Network enculturation» or «Net enculturation» has been used to refer to network society which has been compared to a virtual society formed by groups, organizations and communities, the notion of cyber-culture being close in meaning.
To see how the Net enculturation model could contribute to the development of translation competence it is necessary to outline the notion of translation competence which has not been clearly defined in the translation theory. The issue has been getting even more complicated considering various approaches to translation process in general and to the development of translation competence of a lawyer or any other specialist in particular.
The translation competence has been defined by some authors as multicomponent (including linguistic, cultural, technological and professional competences) [10. P. 481].
Translation competence models developed by PACTE group (Process in acquisition of Translation Competence and Evaluation) are a holistic translation competence model and a dynamic translation competence acquisition model built on the notion of declarative knowledge and expert knowledge [9. P. 48].
Cognitive models of translation having dynamic, interactive and non-linear nature integrates some basic verbal and non-verbal stages, requires special information processing, and has specific features depending on the type of translation.
Using the Net enculturation model alongside with teaching LSP could contribute to the development of translation competences for such type of translation as sight translation and others. Sight translation has been defined as oral translation of the text. Sight translation requires specific efforts of reading and analyzing text, discourse reformulating and production efforts, short-term memory efforts [8. P. 62].
Many researchers agree that developing translation competence requires in the first place development of learning competence.
Bearing in mind different translation competence models several parameters could be outlined for this type of translation — 1. linguistic competence, 2. textual competence 3. subject competence, 4. cultural competence and 5. transfer competence. It is necessary to emphasize that all these parameters are featured in the Network enculturation model which makes it effective as it is not always possible to integrate subject and cultural aspects in the same course. It also comprises semi otic principles of translation aiming at analysis of semiotic systems of professional language and culture and their interrelations in constructing meaning.
The syllabus
The Network enculturation model could be applied for teaching language for specific purposes with the main objectives to develop linguistic skills required to master the language of profession, getting insight not only into language but professional culture which is fundamental to building communicative competence. Studying foreign languages and cultures using the Network enculturation model expands learner's view of the world and professional activities.
The main objectives of this course are:
- Linguistic competence;
- Discourse competence;
- Communicative competence;
- Cultural competence.
Teaching translation is getting closely integrated into LSP courses as professional communication requires translation competences for many purposes.
The Net enculturation model could be used to develop translation competences:
1. Basic translation competence.
2. Specific/subject translation competences.
With particular emphasis being placed on specific translation competences such as sight translation, written or consecutive translation, special tasks and the ways to control and assess the student's performance are to be developed by the teacher.
Working with professional websites the teacher's task is to concentrate students' attention on cultural similarities and differences in professional sphere, cultural component in language meaning, terminology, preferred stylistic conventions, the choice of language means used in source language (SL) and target language (TL) and translation techniques.
Learning and Teaching materials and activities
The main materials are textual information on the websites of professional communities and organizations presented in the form of electronic text and hypertext. Hypertext is known to facilitate remembering information and meaning explication by using hyperlinks and stimulate cognitive activity [1. P. 10, 127, 227]. Video and audio information such as speaking at the conferences, interviews, public addresses of leading specialists are invaluable in getting students acquainted with professional language, behaviour and culture.
The sites of such professional organizations as the International Barrister Association, the International Association of Forensic Linguists, the European Law Students Association, the sites of leading Law schools provide insight into profession and professional education so that students could receive a comprehensive view of real current problems and development and their representation in language.
Visual information of various events such as court proceedings, meetings, conferences and other forums are helpful in providing representation of real settings of professional communication and could evoke discussions and motivate learning process.
One of the advantages of working with professional websites is that it creates an awareness of other culture and comparing it with native culture students develop better understanding of both.
Innovative and conventional activities used with Network enculturation model include:
- Linguistic analysis of text and hypertext;
- Analytical reading;
- Argumentative reasoning;
- Reflective reasoning;
- Critical thinking;
- Case studies;
- Written and oral translation;
- Sight translation;
- Consecutive translation (of recorded interviews, speeches, conference reports with pauses for translating);
-Simulative activities.
Perspectives
Speaking about the use of new technologies C. Kramsch remarked that «through the exploration of microworlds, they afford a type of learning that replicates non-pedagogical ways of acquiring knowledge that are radically different from traditional textbook learning» [5. P.199].
The network enculturation model combining different ways of acquiring knowledge could be applied in various language aspect teaching and learning and other subjects with working out a concise guide-book or instructional materials how to proceed with the particular course. Some elements of the course could be easily transferred from teaching one foreign language to another, some general-purpose tasks relevant to integrated cultural and subject studies could be developed to use effectively this approach in educational process.
REFERENCES
[1] Ryazantseva T.I. Gipertekst i elektronnaya kommunikatsiya. — M.: LKI, 2010.
[2] Udina N.N. Kontseptsiya modeli setevoy inkul'turatsii v professional'no-orientirovannom
obuchenii inostrannomu yazyku // Vestnik MGLU. — Vyp. 27 (633).
Kognitivnofunktsional'noe napravlenie v Lingvistike i Lingvodidaktike: Grammaticheskie issledovaniya. — 2011. — S. 192-199.
[3] Calhoun C. ed. Dictionary of the Social Sciences. — Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
[4] Cronin M. Translation and globalization. — London and New York: Routledge, 2003.
[5] Kramsch C. Context and Culture in Language Teaching. — Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.
[6] Krashen S. Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. — Oxford: Per-gamon, 1981. — P. 19-39
[7] Gambier Y., Henrik G. Multi Media Translation: Concepts, Practices, and Research ed. — Amsterdam: Benjamin Publishing, 2001.
[8] Munday J. ed. The Routledge Companion to Translation. — NewYork: Routledge, 2009.
[9] PACTE. Building a Translation Competence Model // Alves F. (ed.) Triangulating Translation: Perspectives in process oriented research. — Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2003. — P. 43-66.
[10] Pym A. Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Age // Defence of a Minimalist Approach. Meta 48 (4). — P. 481-497. — URL: http://usuaris.tinet.cat/apym/on-line/ train-ing/Pym_competence_meta.pdf.
[11] Schumann J.H. The Acculturation Model for Second — Language Acquisition // R.C. Gingras ed. Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning. — Washington, D.C.: Center for Applied Linguistics, 1978. — P. 28-50.
[12] Whitfield A. Towards a Socio-Cultural Turn in Translation Teaching: A Canadian Perspective // Journal des Traducteurs. — 2005. — Vol. 50. — № 4. URL: http://www.erudit.org/ revue/meta/2005/v50/n4/019906ar.pdf.
ПРОЦЕССЫ СЕТЕВОЙ ИНКУЛЬТУРАЦИИ В РАЗВИТИИ ПЕРЕВОДЧЕСКОЙ КОМПЕТЕНЦИИ
Н.Н. Удина
Кафедра иностранных языков юридического факультета Российский университет дружбы народов ул. Миклухо-Маклая, 6, Москва, Россия, 117198
Компетентностный подход в образовании направлен на развитие способностей использования приобретенных знаний в различных сферах жизнедеятельности человека. Развитие компетенции владения иностранным языком и переводческой компетенции является в настоящее время одной основных задач в подготовке высококвалифицированных специалистов. Для развития языковой и переводческой компетенции была предложена модель сетевой инкультурации, которая позволяет, используя новые технологии, интегрировать процессы изучения языка и культуры в профессиональной среде.
Ключевые слова: модель аккультурации в изучении иностранного языка, модели переводческой компетенции, модель сетевой инкультурации в развитии языковой ^ЯР) и переводческой компетенций, Интернет как новая культурная среда, семиотические принципы перевода, виды перевода.
