MATIS 2009-2010Inaugural Member of the

European Master’s in Translation Network

(EMT)

MATIS 2009-2010

Induction Session22 September 2009

Centre for Translation and Intercultural StudiesSchool of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures

The University of Manchester

http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/ctis

Initial Contact DetailsDr. Luis Pérez-González

MATIS Programme DirectorSamuel Alexander Building, Room W4.07Luis.Perez-Gonzalez@manchester.ac.uk

Dr. Morven Beaton-ThomeMATIS Interpreting Studies ConvenorSamuel Alexander Building, Room W4.05Morven.Beaton-Thome@manchester.ac.uk

Rachel CorbishleyPostgraduate Support OfficerSamuel Alexander Building, Room S3.11Rachel.m.corbishley@manchester.ac.uk

MATIS tutors’ contact detailshttp://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/ctis/aboutus/staff

Important DocumentsMATIS Programme Handbook 2009-2010

Includes course unit descriptions; information on assessment procedures and deadlines for the submission of assessed coursework. An online version is available at:

http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/intranet/pg/ma-students/Fileuploadmax10Mb,124849,en.pdf

PGT (Postgraduate Taught Handbook) 2009-2010

Includes information on general aspects of postgraduate life at the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, including a selection of regulations and policy documents. An online version is available at:

http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/intranet/pg/ma-students/Fileuploadmax10Mb,103245,en.pdf

Online Supporthttp://www.researchschool.org > CTIS MA Intranet 09-10

Online Supporthttp://www.researchschool.org > CTIS MA Intranet 09-10

MATIS 2009-2010Inaugural Member of the

European Master’s in Translation Network

(EMT)

What does the EMT label mean?

• EMT is intended to become a quality label for translator training by higher education institutions.

• MA prepares students for the translation profession and for employment in  institutions such as the EU.

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/programmes/emt/index_en.htm

What is an MA?

Masters degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:

i a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice;

ii a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship; iii originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established

techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline ; iv conceptual understanding that enables the student:

– to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and – to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses.

Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: a deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete

data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences; b demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in

planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level; c continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level; and will have: d the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:

– the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; – decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and – the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.

Descriptor for a qualification at Masters (M) level: Masters degree

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/fheq/EWNI/default.asp#annex1

The Translators/Interpreters We Aim to Train (I)

Mona Baker, In Other Words (1992: 4)

Most translators prefer to think of their work as a profession and would like to see others treat them as professionals, rather than skilled or semi-skilled workers. But to achieve this, translators need to develop an ability to stand back and reflect on what they do and how they do it. Like doctors and engineers, they have to prove to themselves as well as others that they are in control of what they do; that they do not just translate well because they have a ‘flair’ for translation, but rather because, like other professionals, they have made a conscious effort to understand various aspects of their work. […]

If translation is ever to become a profession in the full sense of the word, translators will need something other than the current mix of intuition and practice to enable them to reflect on what they do and how they do it. They will need, above all, to acquire a sound knowledge of the raw material with which they work: to understand what language is and how it comes to function for its users.

The Translators/Interpreters We Aim to Train (II)

Maeve Olohan (2007) ‘Economic Trends and Developments in the Translation Industry’, ITT 1 (1): 37-63.

European Standard EN15038:2006 [Translation Services – Service Requirements] - Requirements of professional competence which translators must meet.

5 types of ‘competence: Linguistic and textual competence, cultural competence, technical competence and

• Translating competence. The final aspect of this competence is the ability ‘to justify the results’.

• Research competence, information acquisition and processing. This refers to the translator’s ability to acquire linguistic and specialized knowledge to understand the source text and produce the target text, as well as the ability to use research tools efficiently.

Please note:

• MA study of translation and interpreting differs from other purely vocational certificates, diplomas and NVQsc.

• MATIS does not approach translation and interpreting as a wholly routinised and uncritical activity.

Course Structure

Core course units

60 credits

Specialist course units

60 credits

Dissertation

60 credits

• Policy for Auditing Classes: MATIS Handbook, page 18.

Core Course Units

• Core course units are compulsory.• They are taught in the form of 1-hour weekly seminars.

Core course units include:

– Translation and Interpreting Studies I– Translation and Interpreting Studies II– Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting Studies I– Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting Studies II

Specialist Course Units:Research-oriented

• Research-oriented specialist units do not include a practical translation component.

• They are taught in the form of 1-hour weekly seminars.

– Cross-cultural Pragmatics– The Translation of Religious Texts

Interpreting Course Units

• Consecutive Interpreting I• Consecutive Interpreting II• Simultaneous Interpreting I• Simultaneous Interpreting II

• Taught in the form of four 2-hour seminars + 1 weekly language-specific practice session.

Language Classification for Interpreting Modules

A Language

“The interpreter's mother tongue (or another language strictly equivalent to a mother tongue), into which s/he interprets from all other working languages, generally in the two modes of interpretation, simultaneous and consecutive.”

B Language

“A language into which the interpreter works from one or more of her/his other languages and which, although not a mother tongue, is a language of which s/he has perfect command. Some interpreters work into B languages in only one of the two modes of interpretation.”

C Language

“Passive languages are those languages of which the interpreter has complete understanding and from which s/he interprets.”

(AIIC 2006:3)

Interpreting Course Units

• Available in 4 language combinations :

– French– German– Mandarin Chinese– Spanish

• Students of interpreting MUST have one of the above languages (or English) as an A language.

• If the A language is a language other than English then this language will be studied in a language pair with English (i.e. cross combinations such as French-Spanish CANNOT be studied).

Consecutive Interpreting

“The interpreter listens to a speech segment for a few minutes or so, takes notes, and then delivers the whole segment in the target language; then the speaker resumes for a few minutes, the interpreter delivers the next segment, and the process continues until the end of the speech” (Gile 2000:41).

Simultaneous Interpreting

“In simultaneous interpreting (SI), the interpreter, using technical equipment, perceives a sender’s source language (SL) message in segments, processes it and renders it immediately and continuously in the target language (TL) for a receiver” (Kirchhoff 1976:111).

Interpreting Aptitude Test

• Students interested in selecting Consecutive Interpreting I or Simultaneous Interpreting I MUST sign up to an Interpreting Aptitude test

• Testing schedule: Tuesday 22 September (from 1pm onwards), Wednesday 23 September (all day) and Thursday 24 September (all day)

• Schedule will be posted on the MATIS noticeboard (Samuel Alexander Building, 3rd floor opposite Postgraduate Office) by 12 noon today

Interpreting Aptitude TestPart One

Interview in the student’s B or C language to establish the oral language proficiency in that language.

Duration: 10 minutes

Interpreting Aptitude TestPart Two

Extemporaneous speech in the student’s A language. The candidate chooses one of three current affairs topics offered to him/her by the examining panel. He/she then has 5 minutes to prepare a speech of 3 minutes duration on that topic.

Duration: 10 minutes in total

Interpreting Aptitude TestPart Three

Summarising skills. The candidate listens to a short structured oral presentation in the B or C language (approx. 4 minutes) and has 5 minutes to prepare a short oral summary of the main ideas in the A language. The oral summary should be approximately 2 minutes long. The candidate is permitted to take notes during the listening phase.

Duration: 10 minutes in total

Interpreting Aptitude Test

• Names of successful candidates and their language classification will be posted on the MATIS noticeboard by 12 noon on Friday 25 September

• Language classification will be agreed on by the examining panel on the basis of the tasks carried out in the aptitude test

Specialist Course Units:Practice-oriented

• Practice-oriented specialist units include a practical translation component and are available in all language combinations.

• Practice-oriented specialist units are taught in the form of 1-hour weekly seminars + fortnightly language-specific or thechnical tutorials.

• Technical/Language-specific tutorials will begin in week 3 or 4.

– Audiovisual Translation I and II– Literary Translation I and II– Commercial Translation– Translating for International Organisations

Other specialisations

Mandarin Chinese Specialisation

• Case Studies in Chinese-English, English-Chinese Translation

• Practicum: Translating Theory (Chinese-English, English-Chinese)

Other options

It is possible to choose any other optional course unit offered by the School of Language, Linguistics and Cultures

See other MA Handbooks in SLLC’s PGT Intranet:

http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/intranet/pg/ma-students/

Dissertation

• Research dissertations

• Translation dissertations

Detailed guidelines will be provided in Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting Studies II.

Distribution of Units: FT Students

Semester 1

T&I Studies I

Semester 2

T&I Studies II

Option I

Option II

Option III

Option IV

Summer

Dissertation

Res Meth I Res Meth II

Distribution of Units: PT StudentsYear I

Semester 1

T&I Studies I

Semester 2

T&I Studies II

Res Meth I Option I

Distribution of Units: PT StudentsYear II (started in 07-08)

Semester 1 Semester 2

Option I

Option II

Option III

Option IV

Summer

Dissertation

Restrictions on Unit Selection (I)• It is possible to register for Level I units in Semester 1 (e.g.

Consecutive Interpreting I) without continuing with the corresponding Level II option in Semester 2 (e.g. Consecutive Interpreting II).

• Level II options cannot be taken in Semester 2 unless the corresponding Level I unit has been chosen for Semester 1.

• You will not be allowed to register a dissertation on a given field of specialisation (e.g. literary translation) unless you have taken at least one of the units in the relevant pathway.

• It is possible to register for 3 course units in Semester 1 and 1 course unit in Semester 2 (or vice versa). Students should assess the implications of this decision in terms of work load (check submission deadlines).

Restrictions on Unit Selection (II)

• Students registering for practical course units (involving a practical component of translation) will have to choose a language combination and translation direction. English will always be one of the working languages.

• Students may choose a different language combination for each course unit.

Completing your Registration• Filling in your course unit selection form. Remember:

– List your dissertation if you are a FT student or a 2nd-year PT student.– Include your language combination and direction next to any practice-

oriented specialist unit.

• I will be available to sign off forms and deal with quick queries on the following dates/slots:– Tuesday 22, 12.00-14.00– Wednesday 23, 10.00-12.00– Thursday 24, 10.00-12.00– Monday 28, 14.00-16.00 (interpreting students only).

• The form needs to be returned to the Postgraduate Office, no later than 4pm, Friday 25 September (all translation students) or 4pm, Monday 28 September (interpreting students only).

• Deadline to change 1st Sem options: Friday 9 October.

Assessment• Assignments and deadlines are listed in the unit

descriptions in the MATIS Handbook.• A schedule of coursework submission deadlines

is available in pages 36-37 of the MATIS Handbook.

• Final interpreting exams are scheduled for 21 & 22 January 2010 for semester 1 exams and 17 & 18 May 2010 for semester 2 exams.

• Important information in the MATIS Handbook:– Submission procedure.– Word limits and penalties for late submission.– Extension to submission dates.

SERQ & PDP

• Skills and Experience Review Questionnaire (SERQ)

• Personal Development Plans (PDPs)

• Read information on pages 17-22 of PGT Handbook.

• Your SERQ and PDP will be discussed in first meeting with personal tutors.

• Electronic versions of SERQ and PDP are available in the CTIS MA Intranet 09-10 (section MATIS Handbooks and Guidelines).

Other announcements (I)

The Translation Studies noticeboard

The noticeboard is located on the 3rd Floor of the South Wing (Samuel Alexander Building) opposite the Postgraduate Office.

Timetable

A number of practice-oriented course units are sometimes taught in two groups (given as Groups A and B on the timetable). Lists of students for Groups A and B will be posted on the Translation Studies noticeboard by Tuesday 29 September.

Personal tutors

Lists will be posted in Week 2 on the Translation Studies noticeboard.

Other announcements (II)Language-specific tutorials for practice-oriented optional course

units.

Will start in Week 3/4. Lists will be posted on the Translation Studies noticeboard.

Academic English Course

For international students who have not studied through the medium of English or in an English-speaking country. Course starts in Week 2 and runs for 1.5 hours per week in Semesters 1 and 2 (see flyer on CTIS MA Intranet 09-10 and Postgraduate Office noticeboard). Note attendance is compulsory for international studients, at least during Semester 1.

Check out also the Post-Registration English Proficiency Tests and other in-sessional courses.

Other announcements (III)

Centre for Graduate Studies

4th floor, South Wing Samuel Alexander Building. Code can be obtained from Postgraduate Office.

Reading Week

Week 6 (starting 3rd November) is reading week and there is no class.

Coursework and workload

It is important to get into a working routine early in Semester 1, to do recommended reading throughout the semester and to plan your essays early.

Other announcements (IV)

Translation Studies Seminars

Mondays 2-4pm, starting in Week 2.

Not part of MA/PG Diploma programme but useful.

Professional Workshop Series

See provisional schedule in induction handout

Email addresses. So that we can contact you individually and as a group, please send an email with your name and your University email address to luis.perez-gonzalez@manchester.ac.uk

For official university correspondence we will use your University email address only, so please check it regularly.