PROBLEM AWARENESS AS ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRANSLATOR’S LINGUA-CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2017-10-136-141
The article deals with the problem of the specific character of the translator’s knowledge of language and culture. A review of the relevant literature has shown that translation is a unique mode of language use which is significantly different from ordinary communication in a foreign language. The author introduces the concept of “problem awareness” as one of the key characteristics of the translator’s lingua-cultural knowledge. Problem awareness is essential in translation which involves switching between languages. It is understood as the awareness of the linguistic factors causing breakdowns in code-switching in translation, as well as the ability to deal with such problems. These linguistic factors include idioms and proverbs/sayings, translator’s false friends, culture-specific concepts, geographical names and confusing words similar in form, meaning or use. Each linguistic factor is described and its ability to interfere with the process of code-switching is explained. Based on these facts a list of relevant skills and psychological characteristics is presented for each group of linguistic means. The author then provides guidelines for ensuring a targeted approach to the teaching of the above-mentioned linguistic means. These recommendations also include a description of the types of activities which are especially relevant in the context of teaching foreign languages to trainee translators.
Keywords: translation, code-switching, translator’s false friends, culture-specific concepts, idioms
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Issue: 10, 2017
Series of issue: Issue 10
Rubric: TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Pages: 136 — 141
Downloads: 913