10.274, Review: Harris: Translation and Interpreting Schools

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LINGUIST List:  Vol-10-274. Sat Feb 20 1999. ISSN: 1068-4875.

Subject: 10.274, Review: Harris: Translation and Interpreting Schools

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1)
Date:  Fri, 19 Feb 1999 15:58:00 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
From:  "Rethore, Christophe" <rethorcx at jmu.edu>
Subject:  Review: Harris: Translation and Interpreting Schools

-------------------------------- Message 1 -------------------------------

Date:  Fri, 19 Feb 1999 15:58:00 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
From:  "Rethore, Christophe" <rethorcx at jmu.edu>
Subject:  Review: Harris: Translation and Interpreting Schools

 Harris, Brian. (1997) Translation and Interpreting Schools, Language
 International World Directory, vol. 2, John Benjamins Publishing
 Company: Amsterdam/Philadelphia, 238 p.

 Reviewed by Christophe Rethore, James Madison University,
 rethorcx at jmu.edu


 Synopsis

 This book contains basic information about 235 translation and
 interpreting (TI) programs found in 60 countries. Interestingly
 enough only seven countries (Canada, the UK, France, Spain, the USA,
 Belgium and Germany) account for half of the total number of
 programs listed, but the directory also mentions TI programs in
 Sudan, New Zealand, Latvia, Nicaragua, etc. The information,
 apparently  compiled with data base software, appears in a
 standardized fashion, and each program gets a full page: name,
 address, email, phone and fax numbers of the host institution, date
 of establishment, contact, staff, students and tuition fees,
 degrees/diplomas granted, language  combinations, specializations
 and publications.


 Critical evaluation

 There is a real need for a world directory of TI programs. Before
 the publication of Harris's directory (1997) someone looking for a
 complete list and description of training programs in translation
 and interpreting throughout the world had no choice but to search
 the web or contact other sources of information at the national
 level (e.g. associations of professional translators and
 interpreters). Some information can be found on the web, but it is
 presented in a rather disorganized fashion (see for instance
 http://www.lai.com/lai/companion.html). As for professional
 associations, the information they give is sometimes restricted to
 the members or it is not free (for example, see the survey of US
 translation programs conducted by the American Translators
 Association). Therefore, the idea which has led to the realization
 of the directory was very timely.

 As in any dictionary or directory, the macrostructure of the book is
 self-evident: preface, abbreviations, directory A-Z, plus an
 1998/1999 entry form to facilitate the publication of a second
 edition. Regarding the microstructure (i.e., the internal structure
 of each "fact sheet" of the programs herein described), it is
 presented in a rather clear format. For the reader's convenience,
 this review has been divided into two parts: macrostructure and
 microstructure.

 1) Macrostructure of the TI programs directory

 The preface surprisingly starts off with a series of generalizations
 which could have been very instructive, had they been supported by
 quantitative data. Unfortunately, without such data, they become
 unfounded cliches which look like they have been directly taken from
 a Marketing 101 textbook:

 	There is no doubt that the training of translators
 	and interpreters in universities has been one of
 	the biggest growth areas in academic circles in the
 	last decade. The reason can be expressed in one
 	word. Globalisation.

 	We live in a world (or global village, as the
 	cliche has it) where everyone trades with
 	everyone else;

 	Those who train translators and interpreters need
 	to be outward-looking and future-oriented. Their
 	students, after all, will be pursuing their careers
 	into the 21st century. (p. vii)

 However, the author also reminds the would-be, wannabe or soon-to-be
 language professional who will read his book that translation
 involves more and more multi-disciplinary training, and he
 encourages course organizers "to be in touch with one another, to
 exchange experiences, and be aware of developments." This
 encouragement is very timely and much-needed.

 I acknowledge the warning given by the author stating that (1) the
 information
 compiled was "provided by the educational institutions," (2) "it
 refers to the academic year 1996/1997" and (3) information like
 "tuition fees are approximations and may be subject to change."
 Therefore, "the publisher and compiler can take no responsibility
 for the accuracy of the information provided" (p. viii). However,
 there are inaccuracies in the directory which indicate that other
 sources of information may have been used. I wish these sources had
 been mentioned, were they primary or secondary sources. I also
 believe that some of the data is seriously out of date, and predates
 the supposed collection date of 1995. For example, I personally
 checked on some of the information about programs in Quebec, and
 found several errors and out of date material.

 I think it would have been nice to have some form of disclaimer
 explicitly mentioning that this directory is not exhaustive and does
 not intend to reflect the relative importance of TI training
 throughout the world. Thus, the reader should not be misguided by
 certain figures. The directory shows that only seven countries
 (Canada, the UK, France, Spain, the USA, Belgium and Germany)
 account for half of the 235 programs listed, but other programs may
 exist in the 60 countries researched or elsewhere. In addition, such
 information is not always available in all countries. In other words
 it is already impressive that the compiler was able to locate and
 describe programs in China, Sudan, Estonia, Latvia, etc.

 The list of abbreviations was obviously needed, and it is very
 useful after the preface. However it leaves the reader with the taste of a
 work hastily done. The directory is also marred by a number of
 typograpical errors, particularly in French.

 The list of program entries is sorted by country of origin and by
 alphabetical order. I enjoyed this sorting and found it very easy to
 browse through. I will comment in greater detail on the format of
 the entries in the part of the review devoted to the microstructure.
 At the very end of the book, an update form has been added. This is
 a practical idea that will expedite the release of the second
 edition of the directory.

 When the compiler is generating the next edition of this book, I'd
 suggest the following changes:
 - rework the list of abbreviations;
 - upgrade the preface;
 - provide the reader with a table of all programs regrouped
	 by country of origin;
 - include a synoptic table of all programs and their features
	 (especially the programs they offer). The format could be
	based on any list of programs found in a university
	course catalog;
 - give a list of professional associations, useful
	 addresses and other relevant sources of
 	information.


 2) Microstructure

 The template of every entry is adequate and contributes to a
 convenient reading of the information. The layout is basic, using
 only bold and regular fonts, but it is simple and clear, especially
 with the use of graphic symbols for the phone and fax numbers, as
 well as the email/Internet address. Information on founding date,
 department heads etc. is also found. I personally would have found
 it more convenient if there had been some distinction made between
 program coordinators and department heads.

 Next come tuition fees, and the number of staff and students, which
 are important data. The entry then concludes with a list of the
 degrees and diplomas granted, language combinations, specializations
 and other specialties, and the publications of the program or its
 host department.

 The interesting thing about the information regarding degrees and
 diplomas granted is that the prerequisites are also mentioned. This
 is very practical. However, and the educational institutions who
 provided the compiler with the information may be guilty of this, it
 is virtually impossible to compare the different degrees offered by
 different programs in different countries of origin. There is no
 systematic, specific indication as to how many credits are needed to
 get a Certificate, a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Master in Fine Arts
 (MFA), etc. Nor can I compare the level and value of the various
 programs. For the neophyte, how does a US Certificate rank compared
 with a Moroccan "Diplome  de traducteur,"
 a Higher Diploma in Translation and Interpretation
 (Hong Kong) or a Canadian Diploma of Translation? And is a
 Portuguese Licenciatura or a Spanish Licenciat en Traduccio
 equivalent to a French licence? Again, the complier cannot assume
 the responsibility for this lack of information given by the
 educational institutions, but I'd encourage him to double check the
 update form which will be in the next edition of the directory. I
 think that the reader would benefit greatly from a table or a
 synthesis on the various equivalences (or lack thereof) between TI
 diplomas and degrees throughout the world. Could this be added to
 the preface?

 A general comment comes to mind after going through every entry of
 the directory and double checking several entries. It seems like
 this database should be taken only as a first draft, and this has
 already much value, given the fact that there was hardly any
 comparable work before the directory was published. For instance,
 the Canadian and American entries contain a number of inaccuracies
 or/and omissions. These have been spotted when I called our contacts
 in Canadian programs and visited the American institutions' web
 sites. It would be tedious to mention every single
 inaccuracy here, but I'd suggest checking any crucial information
 against a web site.

 Conclusion

 To sum up, despite the various errors scattered in the directory, I
 would like to remind the reader that this 1996/1997 directory is
 only a first edition, and that it should be taken as such, for what
 it is worth. I also believe that this directory remains a useful
 source of information for anyone interested in finding out more
 about TI programs throughout the world. But since the book retails
 for approximately US$95 in some major cyber-bookstores, I recognize
 that the investment has to be seriously assessed. It might be wise
 to wait for a second edition. Finally, there will certainly be
 another positive consequence of Harris's directory: this initiative
 will probably spark other projects in the same vein, be they at
 national or international levels, and increase the circulation of
 valuable, much-needed information in the field of translation and
 interpreting studies.

 Short biography of the reviewer

 The reviewer, Christophe Rethore, is Director of
 Translation Studies at James Madison University, Virginia.
 He is also an associate at Tradexpor, a
 Montreal, Canada-based translation bureau. He holds a
 Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.) from ESSCA (Ecole
 superieure des sciences commerciales d'Angers, France) and
 a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Auburn
 University, USA, and he is currently finishing a PhD
 dissertation on the translation of print advertisements. He
 has been specializing in translation for ten years and
 coauthored the Bilingual Dictionary of Retailing (in print).

 -----
 Christophe Rethore (rethorcx at jmu.edu)
 Director of Translation Studies
 Department of Foreign Languages - James Madison University
 540-568-3512; fax 540-568-6904


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