Translation students' use of dictionaries : a Hong Kong case study for Chinese to English translation
The use of the dictionary and translation are both common language experiences. The dictionary is an indispensable tool to translating. Yet dictionary skills are grossly neglected in translator training, which assumes that students have acquired all the necessary knowledge and skills before training. In order to reveal the situation in Hong Kong, this case study attempts to investigate the dictionary use pattern of 107 translation students from five local universities for Chinese to English translation, and the dictionary consultation process of four respondents. Triangulation methods were employed: questionnaire survey interview, think-aloud protocol, and performance exercise. A coding system for think-aloud protocols has been adopted from Thumb (2004), with modifications for Chinese-English dictionary use for production. Results found that most of the respondents had not been trained to use the Chinese-English dictionary, and that they had difficulties in using it for Chinese to English translation. Curricular assessment discovered a gap between student needs in dictionary skills and the curriculum. Pedagogical recommendations are made, and the notion of Dictionary Use Competence is proposed for translation
Law, Wai-On
Translation students' use of dictionaries : a Hong Kong case study for Chinese to English translation. The use of the dictionary and translation are both common language experiences. The dictionary is an indispensable tool to translating. Yet dictionary skills are grossly neglected in translator training, which assumes that students have acquired all the necessary knowledge and skills before training. In order to reveal the situation in Hong Kong, this case study attempts to investigate the dictionary use pattern of 107 translation students from five local universities for Chinese to English translation, and the dictionary consultation process of four respondents. Triangulation methods were employed: questionnaire survey interview, think-aloud protocol, and performance exercise. A coding system for think-aloud protocols has been adopted from Thumb (2004), with modifications for Chinese-English dictionary use for production. Results found that most of the respondents had not been trained to use the Chinese-English dictionary, and that they had difficulties in using it for Chinese to English translation. Curricular assessment discovered a gap between student needs in dictionary skills and the curriculum. Pedagogical recommendations are made, and the notion of Dictionary Use Competence is proposed for translation
translation student use_dictionary hong_kong case_study chinese_english translation use_dictionary translation common language experience dictionary indispensable tool translating yet dictionary skill neglect translator_training assume student acquire necessary knowledge_skill training order_reveal situation hong_kong case_study attempt_investigate dictionary_use pattern translation student local university chinese_english translation dictionary consultation process respondent triangulation method_employ questionnaire_survey interview think_aloud protocol performance exercise cod system think_aloud protocol adopt modification chinese_english dictionary_use production found respondent train use chinese_english dictionary difficulty use chinese_english translation curricular assessment discover gap student need dictionary skill curriculum pedagogical recommendation make notion dictionary use competence propose translation