Globalisation accelerates language translocation and intensifies the demand for translation (Cronin 2003). Translation involves translocation and this may affect the choice of translation strategy whether domestication or foreignisation. Translation, Globalization and Translocation: The Classroom and Beyond lays the solid groundwork for the intersection between translation and globalisation, whether in classrooms or in cultural contexts. The main contributions of this collection address the interdisciplinarity of Translation Studies as a consequence of globalisation and the practical pedagogical exploration of the integration of information technologies into translator training through various projects in the classroom. Thus, this volume is undoubtedly a practical book for scholars, teachers and student translators conducting research and learning about translation in an increasingly globalised world.
The volume consists of ten chapters. Chapter 1 starts out with an overall discussion of the relationship between translation and globalisation. It also provides an overview of the following nine chapters, which helps readers gain a holistic picture of the volume.
Chapters 2-5 are devoted to the analysis of translation as global translocation. In Chapter 2, Doyle presents a discussion of the translocation of cultural products in today’s global market by analysing a large number of examples of English-Spanish translations. He combines translation with intercultural communication and linguistics, providing a reference for interdisciplinary research in translation.
In Chapter 3, Benyouseef examines the translator’s double role and discusses the various challenges she encountered when translating and introducing Olfa’s work into the anglophone world. The author delves into the ethical issues arising from the global dynamic imbalance between language and politics, and she emphasises the role of translation in mediating political intervention.
Chapter 4 is concerned with cultural translation from Latin to Italian. In this context, Agostini analyses the cultural continuum through the awareness of the writer’s self-identity to create a transcultural and transtemporal dialogue between Italian and Latin literature.
Chapter 5 focuses on the study of narratives in news translation. Here, Kaniklidou analyses the translation of news narratives and offers an interdisciplinary approach to translation studies in terms of renegotiating narratives in news and “the power of narratives to elucidate the effects of unforced translation shifts” (94).
In Chapters 6-10, the authors shift their focus from theoretical exposition to pedagogical dynamics and focus mainly on student translators as agents of global translation. In Chapter 6, Cheshire discusses the importance of the students’ transcreations and translocations of literary works related to the globalised context in classroom teaching. The curriculum designed for students from different language majors gives teachers much inspiration for literary translation teaching.
In Chapter 7, Godev and Sykes apply the Relevance Theory to explore the students’ interaction with the translation of political speeches and audiovisual material. In doing so, this chapter sheds light on text types “which are seldom mentioned in the translation curricula” (133).
In Chapter 8, Killman elaborates on the importance of a context-based approach to the introduction of students to Translation Memory (TM) systems. The “situated learning” approach adopted in this chapter can enable students to immerse themselves in real TM operation. This can also help them build competences in order to meet translation industry demands in a globalised economy.
In Chapter 9, Rodriguez-Castro gives a detailed discussion on the learning outcomes of Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) by comparing direct assessment and students’ self-assessment. The learner-centered assessment is really helpful for “students to understand the role of a translator in the translation workflow after this course, while enhancing their communication, problem-solving, and professional skills” (167).
In Chapter 10, Ruggiero investigates the body language in medical interpreting teaching, indicating that body language may facilitate or hinder communication in medical interpreting settings, which offers a powerful reference for practitioners doing interpreting in intercultural contexts.
One of the most significant qualities of this book is that it introduces an interdisciplinary perspective in translation studies within the framework of globalisation. Another distinguishing characteristic is that it emphasises the importance of students' engagement in translation education and that it highlights the importance of translation teaching research being conducted at institutions of higher education. In presenting the student translators as agents of global translocation, this volume provides a research paradigm for translation teaching, which greatly encourages the discovery and growth of this field. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the fact that there is only one chapter related to interpreting makes the content less balanced in terms of exploring the intersection between translation and globalisation.
Overall, this volume offers readers a systematic and interdisciplinary view of translation in a globalised world in both theory and practice. As the demand of translation is intensified by globalisation, this book undoubtedly triggers further studies on this meaningful topic.
Acknowledgements
This research is supported by the Hubei Provincial Teaching and Research Program (Grant No. 2018063) and by the National Social Science Fund of China (Grant No. 17BYY098).
Renzhong Peng