1.2.4. Translation Competence Acquisition and
Language Learning
This section looks at the process of acquiring translation
competence, and examines the interaction, if any, between it and elementary
language learning. Understanding this is expected to help us know more about
the possibility of simultaneous learning of the two. As a matter of fact no
literature has been found to address the issue directly. Therefore, an analysis
of the available findings is needed to uncover the question.
Toury (1986) suggests that translation competence consists in
a natural, innate and mainly linguistic ability very much
developed among bilingual people. He adds that this ability is not sufficient.
The translator should also develop the transfer ability in order to
achieve translation
competence. In this sense, linguistic knowledge is considered to
be a basis upon which translation competence is, subsequently, developed.
Shreve (1997) states that it is a specific competence included
in communicative competence, and that develops from natural translation to
constructed translation. He means by "natural translation" the initial, natural
and potential ability to translate. "Constructed translation" is the developed
competence of translation. In this model, it may be discerned that
"constructed" translation ability develops only after communicative competence
is acquired.
Orozco and Hurtado Albir (2002) adopt the PACTE research
group's model of translation competence acquisition (2000). It suggests that
translation competence "is a dynamic process of building new knowledge on the
basis of the old". This process "requires development from novice knowledge
(pre-translation competence) to expert knowledge (translation competence)"
(p.377). This finally "produces a restructuring and integrated
development of declarative and operative knowledge" (Orozco and Hurtado
Albir, 2002, p. 377). They mean that the learning process builds on previous
knowledge, needed for translation, towards more developed competence. This
involves an interaction between knowledge (declarative knowledge) and practice
(operative knowledge). Expanding on this, it can be deduced that
pre-translation competence (novice knowledge), which most likely refers in part
to previous
linguistic and cultural knowledge, is important as a basis of
translation competence development.
From what precedes, it seems obvious that translation
competence is mainly concerned with the transfer task (Toury, 1986). Evidently,
transfer is much more practice than declarative knowledge internalisation.
Therefore, learning how to transfer involves practice. This entails using
the declarative knowledge. It might thus be justified to assume that at
least basic knowledge of the source and the target languages and cultures is
needed in the process of transfer learning.
More explicit is Darbelnet's statement (1966) that learning
about translation mechanisms is the objective of translation course. Working on
the perfection of linguistic knowledge is also included. However, this does by
no means imply giving separate lectures of grammar or lexis. He goes on
explaining that this would consume a large part of the time we possess. Nord
(2000) is also explicit in this regard:
"An entrance test should ensure that the students have a good
passive and active proficiency in the A-language [the native language]. With
regard to B languages [foreign languages], the entrance
qualifications defined by the institutions have to be tested in order to
prevent translator training from turning
into some kind of foreign language teaching in disguise."
(§. 9)
This assumption is also clearly stated by Osimo (2001) in the
following words:
"Only after having studied one or more foreign languages can one
begin to study translation.
It is in fact necessary to have higher education
qualifications or a university degree in order to be admitted to any
translation course at university level. In both cases, when one sets out to
learn the art of translation, one has already studied languages for some
years.
It is therefore necessary for the aspiring translator to have a
clear idea of certain fundamental differences between learning a foreign
language and learning translation."
("Learning a foreign language versus learning translation" §
1,2,3)
The statements of Darbelnet (1966), Nord (2000), and Osimo
(2001) agree on one idea. There is no time to spend on teaching basic
linguistic material during a translation course. This would suggest that the
selection of the most knowledgeable candidates to be translation learners
is a necessity. Only then, emphasis would be put on the real
objectives of Translator Training
· translation competence acquisition
and the perfection of linguistic and cultural knowledge.
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