Enhancing the Practicum in Japanese Translation

Enhancing the Practicum in Japanese Translation

Grant:
Lecturers' Professional Development Fund (LPDF)
Academic Year:
2012 - 2013 (June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013)
Funding Requested:
$2,000.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
mochiey
Overview of the Project:
I successfully launched a new Japanese translation course in the Winter 2012 semester (ASIANLAN 441: Practicum in Japanese Translation). In order to enhance this course, I am planning to join the American Translators Association, a professional association founded to advance the translation and interpreting professions, and obtain their certification of translation in 2013. The preparation for the exam will allow me to improve my translation skills. More importantly, the certification will demonstrate that I meet certain standards of the translation profession as an instructor of the course. I will also attend conferences for translators and interpreters in order to take advantage of the latest intelligence on the subject matter, as well as to communicate with professionals in the field.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:

To improve my translation skills To obtain the American Translators Association certification of translation To communicate with professionals in the field and take advantage of the latest intelligence

Project Achievements:

The best gain through this project is to have acquainted with many active professional translators and interpreters, much more than I imagined. I learned a lot from them and their presentations. For instance, I learned that the translation and interpreting industry has never been this fast-growing before, which justifies the necessity of a course of practical translation at college level. Interestingly, they appreciated the input from academia and the fact that I trained future translators, too. I became one of the committee members of the Japanese Language Division of ATA and was appointed to present a paper at the ATA’s upcoming conference in November 2014.

Continuation:
Yes. I was unable to take the certification exam in 2013 because the eligibility to take the exam is to be a professional translator for at least two years. Now that I have taught the translation course for two years, I am finally eligible. I will take the certification exam during the ATA’s annual conference in November 2014.
Dissemination:
I have presented papers on my translation course at such conferences as the Association for Asian Studies, Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum, and the Canadian Association for Japanese Language Education. The Language Resource Center of the University of Michigan recorded my lecture on essential skills for producing a better translation. The video has been used as a kick-start presentation in their translation events.
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