Translation and language learning - open discussion

TL;DR

The content discusses the use of translation as a method of language teaching and its implications for language learning.

Transcript

thank you i'm a literary translator i'm also a young language teacher i teach german and i just want to come back to the idea of language learning rather than a translation as a tool for communication in the 1970s young teachers were required to use an overall structural approach so we were forced to apply that approach and very quickly that meant ... Read More

Key Insights

• 😒 The overall structural approach in language learning discouraged the use of translation in favor of direct understanding.
• ☢️ Language learning involves two phases: passive understanding and active production.
• 🙊 Excellent translators may struggle to speak the language themselves because they prioritize passive understanding over active production.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why was the overall structural approach in language learning in the 1970s against the use of translation?

The overall structural approach believed that language learning should focus on direct understanding rather than translation because it aimed to discourage reliance on one's own culture and language.

Q: What are the two phases of language learning mentioned by the speaker?

The two phases are passive understanding and active production. Passive understanding refers to the ability to comprehend the language, while active production involves speaking and writing in the language.

Q: How does the speaker explain the limitations of excellent translators in speaking the language themselves?

The speaker suggests that excellent translators may struggle to produce the language themselves because they primarily focus on passive understanding and struggle to apply their knowledge in active production.

Q: Why does the speaker believe that translation is a poor method of language teaching?

The speaker argues that translation hinders the process of attaching concepts or visions to new words and instead emphasizes acclimatizing to a new culture, which she believes is not the main point of language learning.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker, a literary translator and language teacher, discusses the use of translation as a tool for communication in language learning.

• She highlights how the overall structural approach in the 1970s discouraged translation in favor of a more direct understanding of the language.

• The speaker argues that translation can be detrimental to language learning because it focuses on acclimatizing to a new culture rather than attaching concepts or visions to new words.