Rethinking Translation Teaching

Towards a More Comprehensive and Effective Approach

Abstract

Translation Modules are major components of the English Studies Curriculum in the Moroccan University. In fact, teaching translation in English departments across Morocco has witnessed major shifts in the designed syllabi during the last two decades’ reforms. A very few considerable outcomes have followed, however. In consequence, the students’ training has failed in reaching the desired results because of the inadequacy of the implemented pedagogical approaches. Since Translation is “ a complex process, and therefore, involves extremely complex teaching and learning aims” (Richards in Shaheen 1991, p.119), we, as instructors teaching the module for almost three decades, suggest that  translation teaching should be within the framework of a diligently designed and adequately tailored syllabus that would largely focus on the cultural approach as Arabic and English are separate in space and time, and operate within different linguistic, cognitive and cultural environments. Therefore, our discussion will look into the following: What difficulties do students face while transferring a text from one socio-cultural milieu into a different one? What solutions do students opt for during the transition from process to product? To what extent does their native language impact their choices? The selected data for this paper come from examples used in our respective classes. They look into the students’ semantic inaccuracies and cultural inadequacies.