Mediaforall

Audio description as a didactic tool: Exercises to acquire certain translation competences

The aim of this paper is to investigate the possibilities of using audio description as a didactic tool. Following research carried out at the University of Granada (TRACCE project) where audio described texts are analysed as a new translation modality, we would like to demonstrate how the similarities and differences that exist between the translation of a specialised text and the process of making a film accessible could serve as a basis for the teaching of translation.
Various researches in translation competence (PACTE Group 2000; Risku 1998) differ in their description of the kinds of subcompetences that should be acquired and activated while translating different types of texts. The translation profile of the audio describer is slightly more complex than that of the traditional interlingual translator. It has been noticed that the specific procedure to acquire these competences and the methodology to achieve them is rather more difficult in this particular case.
In that sense, we have tried to build a systematic package of exercises designed to increase students’ awareness of the mentioned translation process and its related problems as well as the strategies needed to overcome those difficulties.

References
PACTE. 2000- “Acquiring translation competence: ‘hypotheses and methodological problems of a research project’” en Allison Beeby et al. (eds.) Investigating Translation. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 99-106.
Risku, Hanna. 1998. Translatorische Kompetenz. Kognitive Grundlagen des Übersetzens als Expertentätigkeit. Tubingia: Stauffenburg.

Juncal GUTIERREZ ARTACHO
University of Granada/TRACCE and AMATRA Projects, Spain
juncal@correo.ugr.es

Juncal GUTIERREZ-ARTACHO graduated in 2008 from the University of Granada (UGR) with a degree in Translation and Interpreting. Currently she is undertaking her Doctoral Studies at the UGR. She is a member of R&D TRACCE project, financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. Code: SEJ2006-01829/PSI and a member of the Andalusian Government’s Excellence Project AMATRA: Accessibility to audiovisual media through translation. Code: T07-SEJ-2660. She also works as a professional translator.

Silvia MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ
University of Granada/TRACCE and AMATRA Projects, Spain
silviamm1983@gmail.com

Silvia MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ graduated in 2006 from the University of Granada (UGR) with a degree in Translation and Interpreting. In 2007 she completed a postgraduate course in SDHoH. Presently she is undertaking her Doctoral Studies at the UGR. She is a member of R&D TRACCE project, financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. Code: SEJ2006-01829/PSIC. She is a member of the Andalusian Government’s Excellence Project AMATRA: Accessibility to audiovisual media through translation. Code: T07-SEJ-2660. She also works as a professional translator and interpreter.