Topical issues of bachelor-translator's basic linguistic training in higher school: the introduction of communicative-functional approach to translation teaching

Translation is a special kind of speech creating activity. Social development features in our society led to qualified training of translators. In this connection translation departments in linguistic higher schools of Russia are being open. As this process has begun rather recently, there are some problems and contradictions in system of translators’ training. One of the biggest problems is misunderstanding of linguist-translator’s language training specificity. Moreover, as educational systems have been constantly developed and improved, we should work out new approaches to translators’ training corresponding to new requirements put forward by employers on a labor market. There is an opinion that language training of translators should not differ from language training of other linguists. We do not sharer this opinion of view as it leads to lacks of professional translator’s training. It is impossible to deny special importance of translators’ language training as high level of language possession provides with language norms those requirements which are applied to translation. Problems of development of foreign languages teaching training methods in a comparative cultural paradigm take a special place in modern science. These problems are inseparably linked both with the general anthropological turn of sciences, and with practical problems of intercultural mutual understanding and development of world contacts where foreign languages play a conspicuous role [1].

In this connection it is desirable toapply new approaches to translation andmethods of its teaching. Besides, there has appeared communicative-functional approach to translation which is new to Russia. Bases of the communicative-functional approach to translation were developed as more or less completed theory variant in the second half of 20th century. Unlike the linguistic approach where the text is regarded as paramount importance, in frameworks of communicative-functional translation the text is a means to achieve the purpose of communicative act.

As V. V. Sdobnikov truly notices “Communicative-functional approach to translation is based on the fact that translational act is included into a wide context of inter language and intercultural communication, into a dialogue between the author of the original text and the addressees of translation. Thus, the subjects of communicative activity, i.e. the author of the initial message, the addressee of translation, and the translator as well should be added to the components of communicative act” [2]. In other words, translation is always done in certain communicative situation from which we make a start in translation process. Representatives of this approach consider inexpedient to translate the text as a ready made thing. Keeping this in mind we should work out a system of future experts language training.

There is a necessity to overestimate critically existing and prior system of translators’ training. Thus, process of translators’ training within the frameworks of “Practical course of the first foreign language” should be focused on development of the skills of that communicative situation analysis in which the translation is going on, and translation strategy development proceeding from the results of carried out analysis. Computational approach has become a leading trend.

We hope that our article is of practical value, both for translation theory, and for methods of translation teaching.

So, in this article, we would like to focus our attention on the specificity of future translator’s linguistic training and to regard the problem of translators’ training at the present stage in a more profound way. We consider obligatory introduction of professional linguistic disciplines from early grade levels. The problem can be solved with the construction of methodical complexes taking into account specificity of a translator’s profession. Actually, we will discuss the language competence of bachelor-translator.

Theoretical significance of our research lies in generalization of the information on the process of translators’ linguistic trainig and development of improving recommendations. Practical value of the given work is in working out practical recommendations for improvement of bachelor-translator linguistic training within the course “Practical course of the first foreign language”.

Consideration of translators’ linguistic training within the frameworks of communicative-functional approach is recognized as an actual scientific problem. At present there is no uniform methodical basis for translator’s linguistic training program construction within the limits of the given approach.

It is necessary to notice that there was a tradition to teach students of the first and the second courses trained on the specialty “Translation and study of translation and interpretation”, and the students of speciality “Theory and foreign languages and cultures teaching methods” in the same way1. So, we consider such misunderstanding to

be one of the main problems in training of future translators.

While considering the works of other authors on this theme we have found… …just a few methodical papers aimed on working out the program of bachelortranslator linguistic disciplines training; as for new communicative-functional approach has not yet resulted in researches of methodological and pedagogical aspects.