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List of participants
Mohammed Al-Batineh, United Arab Emirates University
Branka Barčot, University of Zagreb
Dobrila Begenišić, University of Niš
Hicham Boughaba, Abdelmalek Essaadi University
Xueting Dignam, Kathleen McTiernan, Trinity College Dublin
Jasmina Đorđević, University of Niš
Miloš Đurić, University of Belgrade
Borislava Eraković, University of Novi Sad
Francesc Galera, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Ivana Gligorijević, University of Belgrade
Tatsiana Haiden, University of Copenhagen
Marta Huber, University of Zadar
Anastasios Ioannidis, Ionian University
Hiroyuki Ishizuka, Hiroshima Shudo University
Katerina Vidova, Svetlana Тrajkovska, International Slavic University “St. Nicholas”
Zorica Kovačević, University of Belgrade
Laura Martinez Urtiaga, independent researcher
Svetlana Milivojević Petrović, University of Belgrade
Sara Orthaber, Aleksandra Nuč Blažič, University of Maribor
Ana Marija Ostojić, University of Belgrade
Carmen Pena, Fe Amalia García, Raquel Lázaro, Marta Cortes, University of Alcalá, Hospital Universitario La Paz, University of Alcalá
Beata Piecychna, University of Bialystok
Fernando Prieto Ramos, University of Geneva
Monika Šavelová, Constantine the Philosoper University in Nitra
Xiaoyan Tan, University of Warwick
Mohammed Al-Batineh
United Arab Emirates University
ms.bataineh@icloud.com
BEYOND WORDS: A MULTIMODAL CORPUS ANALYSIS OF ARABIC-ENGLISH FOOD MENU LOCALIZATION
This study investigates translation strategies employed in food menus through a multimodal corpus analysis. A corpus of food menus was collected from food delivery apps serving the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and analyzed from a multimodal perspective using NVivo qualitative data analysis software. A coding framework was developed in NVivo to systematically identify and categorize translation strategies, with particular attention to the interplay between textual and visual elements in menu translation. The analysis revealed that food menu translation involves multiple semiotic layers, necessitating a multimodal approach. Various translation strategies were identified, including literal translation, cultural adaptation, and explicitation. The study also examined how these strategies interacted with visual elements such as food imagery and layout design. Additionally, an online survey was conducted to gather data on user perceptions of the employed translation strategies. The survey results indicated that certain translation approaches were more effective in conveying culinary concepts across cultures and enhancing user comprehension. This research contributes to the field of translation studies by providing insights into the complex nature of food menu translation and the effectiveness of various strategies in a multimodal context. The findings of this study will be valuable to translators, translation trainers, restaurant owners, and food delivery app developers in improving the quality and effectiveness of menu translations.
Key words: Multimodal Corpus, Mobile Apps, App localization, food translation, Arabic translation, food menus, Nvivo, translation strategies, translation and user experince, corpus analysis.
Branka Barčot
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Zagreb
bbarcot@m.ffzg.hr
ARIADNE’S THREAD – MACHINE TRANSLATION VS. HUMAN TRANSLATION
In this article, we provide a description of the translation process from Croatian into Russian of the phraseodidactic textbook Ariadne’s Thread, published in 2023 by three authors Barčot, Hrnjak, Milković (Barčot, B., Hrnjak, A., Milković, L. (2023): Arijadnina nit, Naklada Ljevak, Zagreb). The translation into Russian is a result of a student project for the course Translation Theory at the graduate/master’s study programme Russian language and literature with the ultimate goal of marking the 80th anniversary of the launch of Russian studies at the University of Zagreb, which will be celebrated in 2025.
Each student was assigned his/her own two texts to translate. So, students had different texts to work on. During the semester, the student's task was to continuously keep a so-called Diary of Linguistic Analysis of Translations.
Concerning this project, the main task was actually postediting of machine translation from Croatian into Russian done by Yandex Translator and Google Translator. Postediting is the process of checking and correcting a machine translation so that the translation reaches a satisfactory level of quality. Relying on translation theories and relevant literature and applying the existing linguistic knowledge acquired during the study so far, students were expected to analyze orthographic, morphological, syntactic, lexical and semantic errors that occurred during translation, and they were also expected to assess the type and degree of necessary adaptation of some parts of the original / source text and to write it down in their Diary of Linguistic Analysis of Translations.
The aim of this paper is to show to what extent a machine translation could be of help to translators in such a translational endeavor, and what are translatological problems that a machine translator cannot solve (yet). Finally, a conclusion is drawn about which of the two machine translators, Google Translator or Yandex Translator, had better results for the translation of the analyzed textbook from Croatian into Russian.
Key words: machine translation; linguistic analysis of translation; contrastive analysis of target texts; linguo-cultural adaptations.
Dobrila Begenišić
Faculty of Philosophy
University of Niš
dobrila.begenisic@filfak.ni.ac.rs
LEXICOGRAPHY IN PRACTICE: DIGITAL TRENDS
Today's generations of students in foreign philology increasingly use electronic dictionaries, while printed dictionaries are losing their significance. To determine the users' needs and habits when using dictionaries, as well as the degree to which these needs are met by electronic and printed dictionaries, we conducted a study among Germanistics students at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Niš. The research covered students' usage habits, their attitudes toward different types and formats of dictionaries, as well as their views on the macro and micro structures of dictionaries in both printed and electronic forms. We were also interested in which dictionary features respondents consider particularly important, the purposes for which they use dictionaries, which digital and/or printed dictionaries they use, and their user competencies. The analysis of the results will reveal the quality of existing dictionaries relevant to German language students and the level of satisfaction among students with these dictionaries. The obtained results can be used to improve the state and optimize existing dictionaries intended for Germanistics students.
Key words: lexicography, dictionaries, dictionary usage, electronic dictionaries, survey, Germanistics students.
Hicham Boughaba
KFST, Abdelmalek Essaadi University
hboughaba@uae.ac.ma
TEACHING TRANSLATION WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: THE CASE OF KING FAHD SCHOOL OF TRANSLATION
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the field of translation, impacting how translators work and the skills they need. This paper explores how AI tools, like CHATGPT, can be used in translation classrooms to strengthen students' theoretical understanding and practical skills. While AI tools can be incredibly useful, they also have limitations—such as challenges with accuracy, cultural context, and ethical concerns—which educators need to address. This paper discusses effective ways to incorporate AI in teaching, focusing on helping students develop critical thinking, adaptability, and technical skills. It concludes with insights on how AI can help students transition from academic learning to professional practice, preparing them to work alongside AI tools while understanding their potential and limitations.
Key words: Translation teaching, Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Limitations of AI, KFST, Challenges, Technical Skills.
Xueting Dignam
Trinity College Dublin
(PhD student)
zhangx12@tcd.ie
Kathleen McTiernan
School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences
Trinity College Dublin
MAPPING THE PROFESSIONALISATION OF PUBLIC SERVICE INTERPRETING: A SCOPING REVIEW
Recent years have witnessed increasing studies to unravel characteristics and roles of interpreting within public service settings. Public service interpreting refers to interpreting activities that take place in public services institutions, characterised by its dialogic nature, contested interpreter roles, low professional status, and poor working conditions. PSI in spoken languages is about ensuring linguistic access for immigrant communities yet it struggles to achieve professional autonomy and stagnates in its professional developments. This scoping review explores the status quo through the lens of sociology of professions, by descriptively and thematically analysing 22 empirical studies between January 1990 and October 2022.
Method: Following the five-stage scoping review framework by Arksey and O'Malley (2005), a total of 22 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies were coded, analysed and reported. A reflexive thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke (2021) was adopted for data charting, coding and analysis.
Results: Eight thematic areas were identified and reported: (1) Low professional status and poor work conditions; (2) Professional group structure; (3) Ambivalent roles of interpreters; (4) Ambivalent knowledge base and lack of training; (5) Diverse and multiple working settings; (6) Role of the government; (7) Role of interpreting agencies; (8) Socio-political environment. Following the theme-reporting, discussion focused primarily on the nature of the work of public service interpreting, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for further development of public service interpreting.
Key words: Public service interpreting, community interpreting, profession, professional development, scoping review, sociology of profession.
Jasmina Đorđević
Faculty of Philosophy
University of Niš
jasmina.djordjevic@filfak.ni.ac.rs
SERBIAN TO ALBANIAN TRANSLATION IN PRIVATE LEGAL DOCUMENTS: INDIRECT TRANSLATION AS A TRANSLATION STRATEGY
This paper investigates the efficacy of indirect translation as a strategy in the translation of terminology in private legal documents from Serbian to Albanian via English in Kosovo. Based on a qualitative case study research, the paper presents whether this approach may improve the accuracy, quality and availability of translation services in the Albanian < > Serbian language pair. Research shows that this language pair is under-resourced in the context of Kosovo where Serbian is a minority language. The lack of professional translators perpetuates a considerably low quality of translations of private legal documents in the Albanian < > Serbian language pair. Following the assumption that research within this subfield seems necessary in the context of Kosovo, two official Albanian < > Serbian translators fluent in English were recruited as participants to translate a list of terms excerpted from documents translated for official procedures. One translator provided a direct translation from Serbian to Albanian and the other an indirect translation from Serbian to Albanian via English. Despite the limitations of the research, the comparative analysis of the submitted translated terminology indicates that the indirect translation via English in the context of Kosovo may provide accuracy, quality and availability, thereby offering members of minorities in Kosovo the potential guarantee of fair treatment within legal procedures.
Key words: indirect translation, terminology, private legal documents, minority languages, Serbian to Albanian, Kosovo.
Miloš Đurić
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
University of Belgrade
djuric@etf.bg.ac.rs
TRANSLATING THE CONCEPTUAL LANGUAGE MATERIAL IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING REGISTER: A RELEVANCE-THEORETIC CASE STUDY OF ELECTRICAL DICHARGE IN GASES
This paper reconsiders translation of specialised texts, taking as a starting point the relevance- theoretic distinction between conceptual and procedural linguistic semantics. An attempt has been made to clarify some challenges in the domain of scientific and technical translation. More precisely, the Relevance Theory is applied to a number of cases in English-Serbian translations of an electrical engineering register subset, i.e. the discourse of electrical discharge in gases.
Taking as a starting point TC, TCA, TOCBCL, RT, DC from ISO 17100 (2015), and the PACTE group model, we investigate our corpus-based data. By way of illustration, the paper examines our bilingual glossary of specialised vocabulary of the discourse of electrical discharge in gases. In addition to this, the study has three specific aims: (1) to demonstrate the applicability of congitive-communication relevance principle in the process of translating the conceptual language material, (2) to describe diverse types of challenges in solving coding-inferential dilemmas whilst translating specialised terms and texts, and, ultimately, (3) to show how much relevant data is present in our glossaries of electrical discharge in gases.
Key words: Electrical Engineering Register (EER), Electrical Discharge in Gases (EDG), Conceptual Language Material, Relevance Theory (RT), Scientific and Technical Translation, Translation Competence (TC), Translation Competence Acquisition (TCA), Translation Oriented Corpus-Based Contrastive Linguistics (TOCBCL), Domain Competence (DC), ISO 17100 (2015) Standard, the PACTE Model.
Borislava Eraković
Faculty of Philosophy
University of Novi Sad
borislava.erakovic@ff.uns.ac.rs
BUILDING A PUBLIC DISCOURSE ON TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING IN SERBIA: INSIGHTS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS (ASTTI) AND THE JOURNAL PREVODILAC(1960–1991)
How can Translation Studies (TS) remain relevant in the face of what Koskinen (2010:15)
describes as the growing "commodification and neoliberalization of higher education"? Koskinen
proposes that TS broaden its focus beyond scientific progress and ethical issues, which are
primarily aimed at academic audiences, to include research-based solutions for problems
identified by the broader community (Policy TS), and provide practical knowledge to translators
and interpreters (Public TS). In other words, meaningful and relevant knowledge can also emerge
through dialogue between clients, practitioners, and scholars. In a similar vein, Monzó-Nebot and
Mellinger (2025) recently issued a call for papers for a volume on Public TS, emphasizing the
importance of adopting a “more public-facing approach that bridges academic knowledge with
societal needs.”
Such an orientation, however, is not entirely new and can be exemplified by the activities and
initiatives of the Serbian Association of Scientific and Technical Translators and Interpreters
(ASTTI) in collaboration with scholars, which led to the creation of the quarterly journal
Prevodilac, dedicated to specialized translation. From 1982 to 1991, this journal notably
published significantly more articles on translation in Serbia than are produced today. This
presentation will focus on the events, activities, and initiatives during the first three decades of
the ASTTI (1960-1991), as well as the areas of inquiry featured in Prevodilac (based on the tables
of contents in 29 volumes and 23 articles) and the ASTTI’s chronicle (Jovanović 2000). It will be
shown how a sustained dialogue between practitioners and scholars on pragmatic issues—such as
translator training, terminology development, or the professional status of translators—alongside
theoretical discussions on topics like the nature of translation theory, contributed to the
burgeoning discourse on translation in Serbia from the 1960s to the 1990s, offering a viable
example of a functioning Public TS discourse.
Key words: Public Translation Studies, Association of translators and interpreters, translator and interpreter training, terminology, professional status of translators and interpreters
Francesc Galera
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
francesc.galera@uab.cat
KEEPING LANGUAGE HUMAN: TRANSLATORS AS KEY ASSETS IN MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS
With advancements in machine translation, automated subtitling, AI-assisted writing, and
specialized terminology generation, some may question the need for human translators in large
organizations. However, this presentation argues for the indispensable role of human translators
at institutions like the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), with a focus on the Language
Service as the key expert in managing, among other issues, linguistic accuracy and cohesion.
Drawing from real cases at UAB, we explore how human translators provide unique value across
various domains of language technology. In cases where machine translation is used, their
expertise is critical for quality control, ensuring that automated outputs align with institutional
standards and don’t carry any sense-related bias. In subtitling, human translators enhance clarity,
cultural relevance and accessibility, adjusting automated drafts to meet the nuanced needs of the
university's multicultural environment. Furthermore, with the increasing use of AI in text
drafting, translators play a key role in refining language, ensuring contextual appropriateness and
maintaining institutional voice.
Terminology management, particularly in specialized fields, is another area where the Language
Service’s input is vital. Human translators contribute to the development of consistent and
accurate nomenclature, an essential task that automated systems cannot fully perform due to the
specificity and contextual nuances involved.
This presentation highlights how UAB’s Language Service is not only a linguistic resource but also a cultural and institutional mediator, ensuring language quality in a multilingual and increasingly digitalized context. By maintaining human oversight in language technology applications, UAB demonstrates the continued relevance of professional translators as pivotal to effective communication, internationalization and academic integrity.
Key words: Human translators, Machine translation, Quality control, Linguistic accuracy, Terminology management, AI-assisted writing, Cultural mediation.
Ivana Gligorijević
Faculty of Philology
University of Belgrade
ivanamali@fil.bg.ac.rs
ARABIC LOCALIZATION OF TOP ELEVEN VIDEO GAME
This study analyzes the Arabic localization of Top Eleven, a popular video game developed by Nordeus. The research involved simultaneous play of both the Arabic and original UK English versions of the game, aiming to identify localization issues and propose solutions. The analysis focuses on the User Interface (UI) through a corpus of approximately 200 screenshots from both versions. The data were analyzed from linguistic and technical perspectives. Linguistically, the localization was largely successful, although some inconsistencies in terminology, orthography, and punctuation were noted. From a technical standpoint, various issues were identified, particularly regarding UI mirroring, right-to-left (RTL) text direction, and bi-directional text handling. The findings provide insights into the technical and linguistic challenges that localization experts often face when adapting video games for Arabic-speaking audiences. Proposed solutions aim to minimize errors and overcome technical limitations to ensure a seamless user experience. This study contributes to the growing body of research on Arabic video game localization and offers practical recommendations for teams involved in localization.
Key words: Arabic localization, Top Eleven game, video game localization, UI mirroring, RTL orientation, Bi-Directional Text, User Experience (UX).
Tatsiana Haiden
University of Copenhagen
Independent researher
haiden.tatsiana@gmail.com
TRANSLATION CULTURE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE FIELD THEORY IN TRANSLATION STUDIES
I the talk, I will prove why the concept of translation culture is more appropriate to the case studies within translation sociology and translation history. I will introduce the concept translation culture of Erich Prunc, its definition and main ideas and suggest the model I presented in my PhD to analyse and describe a translation culture. The concept translation culture is widely used in the German-speaking countries, but my aim is to spread the idea outside the German- speaking area.
As an example I will take my doctoral dissertation which initially was planned to be based on the field theory. I will share the flow of the research and the principal challenges that the researcher faces when deciding for the field theory. Moreover, I will focus on both advantages and challenges of the concept of translation culture for the case studies within translation studies.
Key words: translation theory, translation sociology, agency, translation culture, translation history.
Marta Huber
University of Zadar
mhuber@unizd.hr
THE INVISIBLE HAND OF LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION
Although we can agree that literature in translation plays an important role in literary systems around the world, sometimes the criteria according to which works are selected for translation are not entirely transparent. Moving away from the literary and artistic value and the potential new poetics that enter the target culture, what is almost always ignored in discussions about the selection of works is the economic factor and the market situation. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu, who talks about capital and the economy of symbolic goods, as well as the thesis that when we talk about the publication of a translation, we are actually talking about a business venture, this paper will focus on the influence of the market, market potential and economy on the process of selection, translation and publication of literary translations. It will present the aforementioned theses on the example of one Croatian publishing house and show various economic factors that, in a practical sense, precede the artistic component of a literary work, thus opening a discussion about the mostly tacit conditions of valorization of literary translation.
Key words: Literary market, literature in translation, symbolic capital, economics of the book business, selection process.
Anastasios Ioannidis
Department of Foreign Languages
Translation and Interpreting
Ionian University
ioannidis@ionio.gr
EXPLORING PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC SERVICE INTERPRETING IN GREECE: INSIGHTS FROM A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH
Setton and Dawrant (2016) define professionalism as a combination of technical competence and a commitment to delivering optimal service within established standards, fostering responsibility within a professional community. They outline three core components: mastery of the profession’s skills and resources, adherence to ethical standards, and an understanding of the social and practical dimensions of the profession (Setton and Dawrant, 2016: 360 ff.). In this context, professional conduct is closely tied to the concept of trust, as clients rely on professionals to perform specific tasks according to recognized standards, reinforcing public confidence in their expertise and judgment (Skaaden, 2016; 2023).
This paper examines aspects of professionalism among public service interpreters in Greece, with a particular focus on the migration and refugee sector. Conducted by a research team from Ionian University in Greece as part of the ReTrans project, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from a questionnaire-based survey of 11 public servants with qualitative insights from 12 in-depth interviews involving interpreters, refugees, public servants, and NGO representatives active in the field. By identifying recurring themes and key issues, this study aims to illuminate critical aspects of professionalism in Public Service Interpreting in Greece, contributing to discussions on improving interpreting practices and policies and ultimately enhancing the quality of public services for refugees and migrants.
Key words: public service interpreting, professionalism, professional trust, Greece.
Hiroyuki Ishizuka
Hiroshima Shudo University
hishizuka@shudo-u.ac.jp
SEGMENTATION OF SOURCE SPEECH DURING ENGLISH-JAPANESE SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING: A BASIS FOR PROGRESSIVE PROCESSING
This study investigates how interpreters segment source speech to create workable units in English-to-Japanese simultaneous interpreting. Despite remarkable advances in AI technology, it has yet to achieve adequate quality in simultaneous interpreting between English and Japanese. One major challenge lies in the need to progressively process the incoming data even though English and Japanese are syntactically dissimilar. Simultaneous interpreters begin rendering the source speech before hearing the entire sentence, processing information in a first-in-first-out manner. This requires segmenting the source speech into units smaller than complete sentences, often along grammatical boundaries.
While segmentation is a fundamental aspect of progressive processing, its nature is poorly defined. Some researchers (e.g., Mizuno, 2005) refer to segments as “chunks,” but this term remains vague In order to better understand these chunks and elucidate the cognitive processes underlying segmentation, this study analysed recordings of conference interpreting from the JNPC corpus (Matsushita, Yamada, & Ishizuka, 2020), focusing on grammatical units in target expressions. Specifically, we explored three key points:
How did the interpreter segment the source speech?
How did the interpreter understand the information within each segment?
How did the interpreter connect each segment to those before and after it?
How did the interpreter understand the information within each segment?
How did the interpreter connect each segment to those before and after it?
We found in these authentic interpreting performances many cases where interpreters segmented information independently of grammatical borders, revealing additional segmentation strategies that may be applied to improve simultaneous interpreting using AI.
Key words: simultaneous interpreting, corpus-based research, English-Japanese interpreting, cognitive process, progressive processing, segmentation, translation units, chunking.
Katerina Vidova
International Slavic University “St. Nicholas”
vidovakaterina44@gmail.com
Svetlana Тrajkovska
Independent researcher
svetlanatrajkovska76@gmail.com
IDIOMS IN “THE FORTY RULES OF LOVE”: A NOVEL OF RUMI THROUGH THE PRISM OF TRANSLATORS AND THEIR TRANSLATION STRATEGIES IN SERBIAN AND MACEDONIAN
The aim of this paper is to give a review of the translation strategies and translation equivalents of the English idioms and phrases in Serbian and Macedonian. The motivation of this paper arose from the fact that the novel “Forty Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi” by Elif Shafak originally written in English, is abounding in idioms and figurative phrases, later translated in other languages, including Serbian and Macedonian. The research has been made on corpus of sentences and phrases in the novel written in English by Turkish-British novelist Shafak and their translation equivalents in Serbian and Macedonian. This paper is mainly focused on the work of the translators, that is the translation strategies applied by the translators taking into account that the translation of the idioms is tough work, first of all due to the cultural differences in the source and target language. In the process of translation, the translator uses different translation strategies and in this paper we particularly focus on and process four of them: use of idioms with similar meaning and form; the use of idiom with similar meaning, but different form; translation by paraphrasing and translation with omission.
Key words: idioms, translation strategies, translation, translator, translation equivalents
Zorica Kovačević
Faculty of Philology
University of Belgrade
Assistant Professor
zoricakovacevic1706@gmail.com
STABILITY OF FUNCTIONAL TEXTS IN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL TRANSLATION
Functional texts require an accurate and economical translation, i. e. a concise, unambiguous text in the target language. The translation process in this case also involves linguistic and non- linguistic factors such as formal, linguistic requirements specific to the target language, users of the translation, purpose of the translation, etc. However, in scientific and technical translation practice, challenges can arise both at the beginning of the process and at the end, and very often in the form of unstable (illegible, unclear, inaccurate, etc.) functional text in the source language and inadequate text in the target language, which may or may not be the result of insufficiently good quality of the functional source text. The aim of this study is to discuss the influence of the properties of functional source texts as well as the results of the translation process.
Key words: functional text, scientific and technical translation.
Laura Martinez Urtiaga
Independent researcher
lauraurtrad@gmail.com
AUDIODESCRIPTION AS A DIDACTIC RESOURCE IN TRANSLATION STUDIES: REINFORCING TRANSLATOLOGICAL COMPETENCE THROUGH MEDIA ACCESIBILITY TOOLS
Audio description, within the field of Translation and Interpreting studies, is an invaluable didactic resource. Through its application in the classroom, it can enhance knowledge on translation matters, as well as reinforce basic translation techniques. The purpose of this study and presentation is to analyze the progress made in the field of audio description, as well as to delve deeper not only into its recognition as a modality of translation but also into its use as a classroom didactic resource. The analysis of audio-descriptive scripts that has been explored through this study is also intended to carry out a distinction of how the challenges presented by those scripts can reinforce the translatological competence of undergraduate students. All-in-all, the aim is to shed light on an innovative way of reinforcing translation studies, as well as putting the spotlight on an accessible audiovisual translation modality that is on the rise.
Key words: audio description, didactics of translation, translation theory, accessibility, AAT, media accesibility
Svetlana Milivojević Petrović
Faculty of Philology
University of Belgrade
svetmp@gmail.com
THE DIDACTICS OF TRANSLATION AND SPECIALISED LANGUAGE TEACHING
The didactics of translation and specialised language teaching must move beyond the mere acquisition of terminology to encompass a deeper understanding of professional fields. This paper argues that successful translation of specialised texts requires not only linguistic competence but also a profound engagement with the subject matter. While some teachers and students mistakenly believe that possessing a glossary of specialised vocabulary suffices, this approach overlooks the complexities inherent in professional discourse. Accurate translation demands an in-depth knowledge of the field, its conventions, and its unique communicative challenges.
The paper highlights how students must immerse themselves in the professional contexts of the texts they are translating, whether in law, medicine, technology, or other specialised domains. Translators need to grasp not only the meaning of terms but also their functional and contextual usage, which is influenced by the culture, practices, and expectations within each profession. By integrating more than just vocabulary memorization, translation training should emphasize research skills, critical thinking, and the ability to adapt to the nuances of professional communication. The paper critiques the over-reliance on glossaries, proposing instead that a comprehensive, subject-oriented learning approach is crucial. This pedagogical shift aims to enhance both the linguistic and professional expertise of students, ensuring that they are equipped to meet the demands of real-world specialised translation.
Ultimately, this paper underscores the importance of adopting didactic strategies that push students beyond surface-level knowledge, fostering a deeper understanding of the professional domains they engage with in translation.
Key words: didactics, translation, specialized language teaching, use of glossaries, comprehensive approach.
Sara Orthaber
Aleksandra Nuč Blažič
Faculty of Arts
University of Maribor
sara.orthaber@um.si
CHALLENGES AND TRAINING NEEDS IN PUBLIC SERVICE INTERPRETING: INSIGHTS FROM THE RETRANS PROJECT IN SLOVENIA
This study presents findings from interviews with public service representatives and trained and untrained interpreters in Slovenia, conducted as part of the 2-year ReTrans project, "Working with Interpreters in Refugee Transit Zones." The project aimed to raise awareness about interpreting in public service and transborder migration contexts along the Western Balkan route. The study explores the specific demands of public service interpreting and the challenges faced by interpreters and public service staff. Key issues identified include the shortage of trained interpreters for certain language combinations, the emotional strain on interpreters, and inadequate working conditions. Public service representatives also expressed concerns about communication accuracy due to the lack of skilled interpreters. This study emphasizes the need for specialized training programmes and better institutional support to improve the quality and effectiveness of public service interpreting in high-pressure environments. These insights contribute to a better understanding of the professional and emotional challenges public service interpreters face, highlighting the importance of addressing these issues to enhance interpreting services for all stakeholders.
Key words: public service interpreting, interpreter training, ReTrans project, Slovenia.
Ana Marija Ostojić
Faculty of Philology
University of Belgrade
(PhD student)
anamarija.ostojic97@gmail.com
THE USE OF COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE DURING INTERPRETATION OF POLITICAL DISCOURSE AT THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FROM SERBIAN TO SPANISH
The aim of this paper is to highlight the challenges that interpreting political discourse containing elements of colloquial language can present. It covers concepts of colloquial language, political discourse (its definition and general characteristics, as well as specific traits in Serbian and Spanish), interpreting, and issues such as translation pitfalls and achieving optimal translation quality. Through synthesizing these concepts and analyzing an excerpt from a speech at the International Criminal Court, this paper aims to demonstrate how colloquial language in high- stakes discourse can affect interpreting and explores ways to achieve an adequate translation in challenging situations, meeting all technical translation standards, while also delivering a translation that, despite linguistic complexities, neither undermines nor alters the original speech, but rather finds a way to adequately address problematic parts of the discourse. Following an overview of these concepts and analysis of the speech excerpt, the paper concludes with the knowledge an interpreter must possess in such situations, to ensure their work is considered successful.
Key words: colloquial language, slang, interpreting, political discourse, Serbian, Spanish.
Carmen Pena
University of Alcalá (Madrid)
Fe Amalia García
Hospital Universitario La Paz (Madrid)
Raquel Lázaro
University of Alcalá (Madrid)
Marta Cortes
Hospital Universitario La Paz (Madrid)
carmen.pena@uah.es
THE PERCEPTION OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION WITH LANGUAGES OF LESSER DIFFUSION IN HEALTHCARE
Interlinguistic and intercultural mediation is a type of translation and interpreting performed by public service interpreters and translators (PSIT) to facilitate communication between people from other cultures/languages and professionals in public services such as health, etc. Its objectives are to facilitate communication, promote social cohesion and foster the autonomy and social integration of minorities.
Although migration has increased significantly over the last decades in Spain, in healthcare contexts there have not been substantial improvements to bridge communication problems of non-Spanish-speaking population. Health administrations do not offer effective solutions and health professionals find themselves with little help when communicating with patients who do not understand them.
The aim of this research is, on the one hand, to investigate the perception of communication in health settings by patients whose language is not Spanish and, on the other hand, to study the perception of health professionals when communicating with foreign patients. To do so, we will give an account of the findings of different surveys carried out on both groups.
The main objective will be to discuss and put forward possible solutions to communication asymmetries by combining the synergies of a discipline in need of a solution (health) and the providers of that solution (public service interpreting and translation), as well as to contribute to raise awareness of the need to professionalize PSIT in health contexts, as well as to the social integration of these minorities.
Key words: Intercultural communication, PSIT, migrants, healthcare, languages of lesser diffusion, cultural mediation.
Beata Piecychna
University of Bialystok
b.piecychna@uwb.edu.pl
THE TRAUMATIZED TRANSLATOR: ON VICARIOUS TRAUMATISATION IN THE TRANSLATION INDUSTRY
Vicarious trauma (also known as vicarious traumatization, abbreviated as VT) is a term which was coined and described in 1990 by Irene Lisa McCann and Laurie Anne Pearlman in order to refer to signs and symptoms experienced by psychotherapists as a result of working with their traumatized patients/clients. The signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma, also referred to as secondary trauma or secondary traumatic stress (the latter term invented by Charles Figley), are very similar to those signs and symptoms which are indicative of so called primary trauma, including: mood swings, feelings of sadness, grief, frustration, somatization, difficulties with sleeping, intrusive thoughths, anger, anxiety, irritability, difficulties with concentration, etc. Vicarious trauma can also be described as a specific emotional state in which the person has been immersed in the narration of trauma conveyed to them to some extent, which can lead to various states close to dissociation, tension or, conversely, to increased excitation. The term was later used in the context of other helping professions or those professionals who regularly come into contact with narrations of trauma stories: journalists, firefighters, policemen, and interpreters and translators, among others. The rapid growth of globalization, outburst of wars, forced migration, etc. has led to the emergence of new audio and visual materials to be translated, as well as to situations in which translators and interpreters are necessary for those in need, for instance in the context of wars, migration crisis, humanitarian settings, conflict zones, or political negotiations. As a results, these professionals, including, but not limited to, court and medical interpreters, war interpreters, audiovisual translators, sign language interpreters or sight translators are tasked with reading, listening to and transferring testimonies containing elements of trauma. The testimonies are more or less disturbing in terms of the traumatic experiences; however, it is assumed in this study – as based on the previous research relating to vicarious trauma – that having contact with disturbing narrations with elements of trauma lead to the emergence of PTSD symptoms among interpreters and translators.
The aim of the paper is to introduce the audience to the specificity of this new research project, with a particular emphasis on the theoretical basis of vicarious traumatization in the translation and interpreting industry in Poland.
Key words: vicarious trauma, translation, interpreting, trauma, compassion fatigue.
Fernando Prieto Ramos
University of Geneva
fernando.prieto@unige.ch
THE IMPACT OF NEURAL MACHINE TRANSLATION ON INSTITUTIONAL TRANSLATION: THE CASE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
As in other areas of professional translation, neural machine translation (NMT) has been gradually integrated into the translation workflows of most international organizations. This trend has prompted a debate on the implications of NMT for the working methods and competences required of human translators, as well as on the quality of translations produced in international relations and law-making in particular. Previous studies in the field have focused on the analysis of NMT output in several language combinations based on translation samples. However, after several years of intense technological adaptations, there is a need to take stock of the impact of NMT on translation workflows and product quality more broadly.
As part of a large-scale project on institutional translation, our paper will provide an overview of current practices and perceptions of NMT in these settings, by presenting the results of a recent survey of almost 500 translation professionals from 24 international organizations (including multiple EU institutions and intergovernmental organizations) on the use of technological tools and the impact of NMT in particular on their working methods, required skills and the quality of translations.
The study places special focus on how institutional translators perceive co-existing processes of validating or editing translation memory matches and NMT suggestions, the main deficiencies detected when post-editing the latter, and the implications of new technological developments for translation professionals’ daily work. The quantitative and qualitative findings refine our understanding of how technology-assisted processes are embedded in translation production, and how the role of translators is reshaped by these changes. The study also sheds light on the main similarities and differences between the perceptions of translators from multiple international organizations and with varying levels of professional experience.
Key words: neural machine translation, post-editing, institutional translation, international organizations, translator competence, augmented translation, translation process, translation quality.
Monika Šavelová
Department of Translation Studies
Faculty of Arts
Constantine the Philosoper University in Nitra (Slovakia)
msavelova@ukf.sk
POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC TRANSLATION IN SLOVAKIA: DIDACTICS VS. PRACTICE
Communication across geopolitical borders is most likely to take place through translation, including political and diplomatic discourse that is part of everyday life and touches every individual, although he or she may not be aware of it. In both types of the aforementioned discourse, certain specificities can be identified that relate to the verbal, paraverbal and non- verbal communication, affecting the interpretation of the text and the perception of the speaker, but also the interpersonal relations of the communicants (representing political parties or the nation as a whole).
The aim of this presentation is therefore to point out the didactics of diplomatic translation and interpreting at Slovak universities offering Translation Studies programmes, and the specifics of diplomatic interpreting which translators and interpreters should be aware of, and to possible translation techniques and strategies used in this type of settings. Finally, we will point out the actual practice in Slovakia of this type of discourse in the media and in political institutions, e.g. the Presidential Palace.
Key words: political translation, political interpretations, diplomatic translation, diplomatic interpretation, didactics, practice in Slovakia, political institutions, mass media.
Xiaoyan Tan
University of Warwick
(PhD student)
u5548170@live.warwick.ac.uk
WRITING AND TRANSLATING ACROSS POWER DIFFERENTIALS: PARATEXTUAL (RE)FRAMING OF TWO CHINESE-BRITISH DIASPORA MEMOIRS
This research departs from the predominant focus on diaspora identities and linguistic styles in diasporic literature to examine the implications of power differentials among cultures on the writing and publication of diasporic works. Drawing on postcolonial theories and the concept of paratext, it explores two memoirs by Chinese-British writers, Chang Jung’s Wild Swans (2003 versions with the authorial preface) and Guo Xiaolu’s Once Upon a Time in the East/Nine Continents (UPT/Nine Continents) published by British and American publishers, to identify thematic (dis)similarities between the two memoirs and scrutinize how power differentials impact the (re)framing of their paratexts (prefaces, book covers, and commentary) by authors and publication agents (e.g. publishers, reviewers, designers) to target readers.
Preliminary findings indicate that in the authorial writing and paratextual (re)framing of Wild Swans, Chang and her publication agents emphasize Chinese sufferings, governmental suppression and censorship, and societal inhumanity while extolling British freedom and humanism. Its popularity prompts numerous writers to follow a similar model and write for publication. In contrast, Guo’s UPT/Nine Continents transcends the Occident–Orient/Self–Other binary opposition and accentuates her subjectivity as a trans-ethnic world citizen writing against Western-centric stereotypes of China and its cultural symbols. However, publication agents label Guo’s work as “A Wild Swans for a new generation” and essentialize China as a merciless, dystopian Other—a reframing that Guo had to accept to secure publication. This research argues that the Orientalist gaze and asymmetrical power relations between writers and publication agents, and between Chinese and Western cultural systems, compel most Chinese-born diaspora authors to surrender to the Western publishing market and its dominant system to have their works reach a broader readership and enter into the Wold Literature corpus. In a postcolonial context, knowledge production is still in the shadows of neo-colonialism/neo-imperialism wherein Wold Literature is probably contaminated and carries neocolonial overtones.
Key words: power differentials, diasporic works, paratextual (re)framing, Western-centric stereotypes, neo-colonialism.