The role of literature in EFL instruction

1. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies

Vol.1, No.1, April 2005

Teaching English Through Literature

Murat Himanolu

Moreover, in translation courses, many language teachers make their students

translate literary texts like drama, poetry and short stories into the mother
tongue, Turkish.

Since translation gives students the chance to practice the lexical, syntactic,
semantic,

pragmatic and stylistic knowledge they have acquired in other courses,

translation both as an

application area covering four basic skills and as the fifth skill is emphasized in
language

teaching.

According to Collie and Slater (1990:3), there are four main reasons which lead a

language teacher to use literature in the classroom. These are valuable authentic
material,

cultural enrichment, language enrichment and personal involvement.

1. Valuable authentic material - Most works of literature are not created

for the

primary purpose of teaching a language. In reading literary texts,

because

students have also to cope with language intended for native speakers,
they become familiar

with many different linguistic forms, communicative functions and

meanings.

2. Cultural Enrichment - For many language learners, the ideal way to

increase their understanding of

verbal / nonverbal aspects of communication in the country within which

that language is

spoken - a visit or an extended stay - is just not probable. For such

learners, literary works,
such as novels, plays, short stories,etc. facilitate understanding how
communication takes

place in that country.

3. Language Enrichment - Literature provides learners with a wide

range of individual lexical or syntactic items.

Students become familiar with many features of the written language,

reading a substantial

and contextualized body of text. They learn about the syntax and
discourse functions of

sentences, the variety of possible structures, the different ways of

connecting ideas, which

develop and enrich their own writing skills.

4. Personal Involvement - nvolvement it fosters in the reader.Once the

student reads a literary text, he begins to inhabit

the text. He is drawn into the text. Understanding the meanings of

lexical items or phrases

becomes less significant than pursuing the development of the story

Maley (1989:12) lists some of the reasons for regarding literature as a

potent resource

in the language classroom as follows:

1. Universality

2. Non-triviality

3. Personal Relevance

4. Variety

5. Interest

6. Economy and Suggestive Power

7. Ambiguity

1. Universality

3.1. Literature and Reading

ESL / EFL teachers should adopt a dynamic, student-centered approach

toward
comprehension of a literary work. In reading lesson, discussion begins
at the literal level with

direct questions of fact regarding setting, characters, and plot which

can be answered by

specific reference to the text. When students master literal

understanding, they move to the

inferential level, where they must make speculations and

interpretations concerning the

characters, setting, and theme, and where they produce the authors
point of view. After

comprehending a literary selection at the literal and inferential levels,

students are ready to do

a collaborative work. That is to state that they share their evaluations

of the work and their

personal reactions to it - to its characters, its theme(s), and the

authors point of view. This is

also the suitable time for them to share their reactions to the works
natural cultural issues

and themes. The third level, the personal / evaluative level stimulates
students to think

imaginatively about the work and provokes their problem-solving

abilities. Discussion

deriving from such questions can be the foundation for oral and written
activities (Stern

1991:332).

3.2. Literature and Writing

Literature can be a powerful and motivating source for writing in ESL /

EFL, both as a

model and as subject matter. Literature as a model occurs when student

writing becomes

closely similar to the original work or clearly imitates its content,

theme, organization, and /or

style. However, when student writing exhibits original thinking like

interpretation or analysis,

57
or when it emerges from, or is creatively stimulated by, the reading,
literature serves as

subject matter. Literature houses in immense variety of themes to write

on in terms of guided,

free, controlled and other types of writing.

3.3. Literature, Speaking, and Listening

The study of literature in a language class, though being mainly

associated wi

reading and writing, can play an equally meaningful role in teaching

both speaking an

listening. Oral reading, dramatization, improvisation, role-playing,

pandomimin

reenactment, discussion, and group activities may center on a work of

literature.

The use of a novel is a beneficial technique for mastering not only

linguistic system

but also life in relation to the target language. In novel, characters

reflect what people really

perform in daily lives. Novels not only portray but also enlighten human
lives. Using novel in

a foreign language class offers the following educational benefits:

develops the advanced level readers knowledge about different

cultures and

different groups of people,

increases students motivation to read owing to being an authentic

material,

offers real life / real life like settings,

gives students the opportunity to make use of their creativity,

improves critical thinking skills,

paves the way for teaching the target language culture,

enables students to go beyond what is written and dive into what is

meant,

63
Helton, C.A, J.Asamani and E.D.Thomas (1998:1-5) expounds the
educational

benefits of novels as follows:

stimulates their imagination,

helps students to identify the emotions of the characters so that they

can learn how others

cope with situations and problems similar to their own experiences,

helps them master the skills that will enable them to acquire
information, process this

knowledge, identify problems, formulate alternatives, and arrive at

meaningful,

thoughtful,

effective decisions and solutions,

develops oral and written language skills,

serves as a springboard for a multitude of holistic learning and critical

thinking activities

beginning with basic comprehension and writing,

presents a unique way of teaching reading by getting students

involved in the reading process

The teacher has an important role in teaching English through

literature. First, he

should determine the aim of language teaching in relation to the needs

and expectations of the

students. Giving a questionnaire or interviewing with the students

orally, the teacher can set

up the aim and the objectives of the language teaching. Second, he

should select the

appropriate language teaching method, teaching techniques, and

classroom activities.

2. Why teach literature

in the foreign language classroom?

Jonathan P.A. Sell

Universidad de Alcal

Abstract

From tim e to tim e the need or value of teaching literature in the

language class has been questioned. This article reviews

and qualifies the argum ents for and against teaching litera ture before
defending such teaching on three grounds: 1.

literature can enhance language learning at primary level sin ce the

cognitive processes of young learners are particularly adept at dealing
with narrative structures; 2. literature written in the target language
or translated into the target

language m ay give l earners i n si ght i n to other non-t arget l angua

ge cultu res, thus prepari ng t h em t o act comp et ently and
appropriately in fu tu re d ealin g s with rep r esen tativ es from tho s
e cu ltures; 3. literatures co n ten ts m ay well be tru er to life

and m o re relevant t o l earners th an t ypi cal t ext book t opics

. The case against literature

As far as teaching English as a foreign language is

concerned, for exam ple, not only are professionals occasionally

afflicted by guilty feelings that they are

lackey s in the pay of linguistic im perialism , but if they start

introducing their students to Shakespeare,

Dickens or Ted Hughes they are condem n ed for cultural im perialism

too (e.g. N gugi wa Thiongo 1986)

FL teaching should engage with real life and real-life situations;

literatureconceived

of as som e sort of aesthetic artefactis not real life, at tim es not

even realistic, and barely relevant to day-to-day living (see Section 5)

Lazar (1993:15-9) suggests that literature in the FL classroom

motivates, offers access to cultural

background, encourages language acquisition, expands language

awareness, de velops students interpretative

abilities and educates the whole person in so far as it enhances our

imaginative and affective capacities (see

also Fernndez 2003: 60-31

3. Literature and Language Teaching

Mohammad. Khatib, Amir Hossein. Rahimi

Department of English Language and Literature, Allameh TabatabaI

University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This paper provides a review of ideas and research regarding the role of
literature in language classes.

Firstly, it provides an explanation of positive and negative views

toward utilizing literature as a

resource for language teaching. Secondly, it sketches out different

methodological issues regarding the

use of literature. Finally, some empirical studies carried out to

examine the role of literature in

language instruction are presented.

Keywords: Literature, EFL/ESL contexts, Language teaching

language teaching was grammar translation and the most popular

technique was

the translation of literary texts in the mother tongue. Literary

works provided additional

material of grammar practice, vocabulary learning, translation (Liaw,

2001). With the advent

of structural approaches to language and popularity of direct and

audiolingual method,

literature was not utilized in language classes anymore.

But from the middle of 1980s the interest in literature as a teaching

resource has renewed and
continues until today. This can be seen from the publication of
textbooks on the role of

literature in language classes (e.g Duff & Maley, 1991; Gower &
Pearson, 1986; Hill, 1986;

Lazar, 1993; Maley & Duff, 1989; McRae, 1991) , but there is still
controversy over the use

of literature for the purpose of teaching and learning language. Many

efl/efl teachers consider

the literature just as the work of art and beyond the proficiency
level of their students and

ignore it as a source of learning and teaching (Bassnett & Grundy,

1993). Some teachers use

literature as a filler type activity and not as an integral part of

their instruction

(Wasanasomsithi, 1998)

1. Against the use of literature

McKay (1982) mentions some of the common arguments against

utilizing literature. The first

one is the lack of contribution of literature to the teaching of

grammar which is one of the

important goals of language teaching program. The reason for this

is the structural

complexity and unique use of language in literature. The second

argument is that the

literature dies not help the students to reach their academic and
occupational goals. The third

one is the specific cultural viewpoints which are reflected in every

piece of literature.

Grasping and making sense of the cultural perspectives may be

difficult for the students

especially for EFL or ESL students.

For the use of literature

According to Povey (1972) reading literature familiarizes students or

learners with subtle
vocabulary usage and new and complex syntax and through this
contribute to the extension of

language usage and linguistic knowledge.

2. The role of translation in elf instruction

1) Literary Translation

Author(s): Thomas R. Palfrey

Source: The Bulletin of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language

Association, Vol. 17, No. 1/2

(May, 1964), pp. 6-9

Published by: Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1346508

What are some of the benefits which may be derived from translation?

Primarily, perhaps, the enlargement of vocabulary; recent tests indicate that it

develops a more accurate and extensive knowledge of grammar and syntax than

commonly supposed; it develops the habit of concentrated attention, the power

of logical analysis, and the intuitiveness inherent in the language arts. Closely

associated with these returns are the by-products of foreign language study in

general and of translation in particular: an enlarged English vocubulary, a more

precise notion of word meanings, and a better knowledge of English grammar,

structure and usage,-in short, a fuller conception of the possibilities of one's own

language as the means of expressing ideas clearly and accurately.

These are only the most obvious ways in which ordinary, run of the mine,

classroom translation increases knowledge of the foreign language and of the

vernacular, and at the same time gives transferrable training in memorization,

analysis and generalization. To these linguistic and incidental values of

translation

in general must be added the less obvious aesthetic values of fine, literary trans-
lation: the first, a means of appreciating beauty of style and effectiveness of ex-
pression; the second, an end in itself, artistic or creative reproduction of the orig-
inal in the vernacular.

In conclusion, let me beg of you not to interpret my remarks as an invitation

to revert to monotonous, mechanical, hit-or-miss, interest-killing translation,

nor as a plea for setting up a school for professional translators, nor as an argu-
ment for including another course in an already overcrowded curriculum. The

points which I have attempted to bring out, and which I would leave with you,

are these:

1. That literary translation, as I have attempted to define it, is an invaluable

means to a further and more precise acquisition of a foreign language;

2. That it makes a significant contribution to perfecting mastery of the

vernacular;

3. That it is an effective means of developing an aesthetic appreciation of

literature;

4. That it may be introduced to advantage as an exercise in a variety of

courses;

5. That it is a professional skill or competence for which there is a wide and

increasing demand; and

6. That it is important enough as a method, as a means and as an end in

itself, to command the serious attention of students and teachers of modern

foreign languages.

My own enthusiastic belief in the possibilities of such a course has not

been

deceived by having taught one at various times. And at various times,

but

with much less success, I have had the temerity to propose a plan
whereby

several language departments, including English, might collaborate in

offering

a seminar or workshop in the principles and techniques of translation

open to

advanced undergraduates and graduates preferably though not

necessarily with
 a competence in two languages other than their own. After a general
considera- tion of the theory of translation and possibly an historical
account of the practice

of translation and of its effects on various literatures, representatives

of the

various language departments would compare one or several

translations with

the original text, and the students would be required to analyze,

criticize or

revise existing translations, and lastly to work out new ones. Even in
the case

of those students who did not know the language translated, the class
discussion

would not be completely lost, for there might well be a compensatory

gain in

acquiring some conception of comparative grammar, a more extensive

knowledge

of English, and perhaps even a desire to take up the study of an

additional lang- uage.

2) Translation and Language

Teaching: Translation as a

useful teaching Resource

Monica Randaccio

Dipartimento Scienze del Linguaggio, dellInterpretazione e della

Traduzione dellUniversit di Trieste

Arguments against the use of translation in language teaching

were initially

raised in the nineteenth century and were largely reiterated in

the 1960s and

1970s by those who believed in the direct, natural, and/or

communicative meth -ods of language teaching. The method they
were objecting to was the so-called

grammar translation method, which had been devised as a way of

teaching mod -ern languages in secondary schools in Prussia at the end
of the eighteenth cen -tury, and also of teaching Latin and Greek in
grammar schools. The scholar would

study the grammar of a language, and read texts, almost invariably

religious or

literary, with the help of a dictionary and the acquired grammar.

The first grammar-translation course in English was published in 1793

by Jo-hann Christian Fick (1763-1821), following the model of a course
in French by Jo -hann Valentin Meidinger (1756-1822).

The long-standing and ongoing controversy on the use of translation in

lan-

guage teaching has engaged linguists and translation theorists

alike in exten -

sive analyses of reasons in favour or against such use. Some of

the main dis -

advantages of translation as a teaching and testing tool in an EFL

(English as a

Foreign Language) situation have been clearly illustrated by

Newson, whereas

some of the advantages have been skilfully highlighted by Kopczynski.

Accord -

ing to Newson, translation:

1. encourages thinking in one language and transference into another,

with

accompanying interference;

2. is independent of the four skills which define language competence:

rea-

ding, writing, speaking, listening;

3. deprives teacher and learner of the opportunity to benefit from

accruing

advantages of working within one language;

4. it gives false credence to the nave view that there is such a thing as
simple

word-to-word equivalence between languages;

Kopczynski instead lists some of the arguments in favour of translation
as follows:

1. it allows for conscious learning and control of the foreign

language and

thus for reducing interference;

2. learning must be meaningful and the learner should be an active

partici-pant in the process;

3. conscious learning does not preclude automatic habits;

4. learning a foreign language is not like acquiring the native

language;

5. since there exists pre-knowledge, one has to assume that the

learner makes

use of this pre-knowledge; indeed, it frequently happens that an

inadequa-te situational presentation causes the learner to seek an
explanation in the

native language;

6. one has to assume that there is a process of mental

translation going on

throughout the process of language learning;

7. the use of translation elicits structures that otherwise would be

avoided by

the learner

13

Along the same lines, Danchev lists, like others, further arguments in
favour of

translation, which would help 1) natural and easy comparison between

the target

and the native language, thus facilitating faster decoding of difficult

target lan -guage structures and elements; 2) quick and effective
comprehension control; 3)

to overcome and neutralise native language transfer

Autorica kaze: Useful activities in successful classroom translation
should also explore ar-eas of language through contrasts between
first and foreign language features.

Among the most relevant areas, there are: i) common colloquialisms, for
which a

number of translations might be used, depending on the context; ii)

ideas rooted

in traditional source culture or in source local folklore, which may be

rendered

in a numbers of ways, by attempting a communicative translation, by

replacing

the cultural denotation with a near equivalent in the target culture, or

by opting

for explanation; iii) grammatical patterns which differ in the two

languages, thus

providing insights into divergent linguistic structures.

3) Th e p la ce of t ra n s la t ion in L a n gu a ge Tea ch in g

R a d mila P op ov ic

N e ve r th e le ss, it h as di sp lay e d a re m arkab le r e silie n c e

( wh et h er t h is was

n e c e ssit at e d b y h ar d fac t s o f r e al life , or is th e r e sult

o f th e r e sist an c e t o ch an ge s is

an o th e r m att e r wh ic h de se r ve s to b e st udi e d o n it s own

) . Tr an slat io n was ab an do ne d as

an op t ion in E S L sit uat io n s, b ut no t in t he st ate e du c

at io n in m an y co un tr ie s. I t se e m s

n o w t h at th e gen e ral at t it ude t o war ds t r an slat io n h as

b e gun t o c h an ge : th o se wh o di sc uss
it in th eir st udi e s argue t h at t r an slat io n is a le git im at e
p eda go gic al t oo l e sp e c ially in an

E FL en vir o n me nt , an d c laim th at it de se r ve s t o b e re h
ab ilit at e d ( Widdo wso n 1978: 1 8,

Har m e r 1991: 62, E ll is 19 92: 4 6, B o we n , M ar ks 1994: 93;

Ur 199 6: 40) .

il l t h e le arn e r

h ave t o use tr an slat io n o n ce h e h as le ar n e d l2? T h e an

swe r to t h is que st io n is p o sit ive ,

fo r t r an slat io n is a r e al life c om m un ic at ive ac t ivit y th

e le ar n e r s t r an slat e in c lass fo r

p e e r s, de c o de sign s an d n ot ic e s in t he en vir o nm e nt , t
r an slat e s in st r uct io n s an d let t er s for

fr ie n ds an d r e lat io n s, e t c . Mo r eo ve r , wit h th e in c r e
ase d mo b ilit y o f p er so n s an d go o ds in

a un ifie d, m ult ilin g ua l E ur o p e , t r an slat io n is e xp e c ted

t o be p r ac t ic e d alm o st o n da ily

b asis. I n addit io n , on e sh o uld no t lo se sigh t o f D uff s

war n in g th at lan guage c o mp e t en c e

is a t wo - way sy st em , t h at we n e e d to b e ab le to co mm
un ic at e in to an d fro m th e lan guage

sy st e m . Y e t lit t le guida n c e is give n h o w t o co m m un ic

at e b ac k int o th e m ot he r t on gue ,

so m e th in g th at m an y pr o fe ssio n als n ee d t o do in th eir

da ily wo r k ( D uff 1989: 6 In di vidu a l le ar n e r s h ave r e po r
te d t h at th e y fin d it b en e fic ial, an d t h is h as b e en c o n
firm e d

b y em p ir ic al r e se ar ch . I n ve st igat in g le ar n in g st r at e
gie s e m p loy e d b y st ude n t s o f E n glish

as a se c o n d lan guage , an d also b y le ar n e r s o f Sp an ish

an d Russian in a for e ign lan guage

se t t in g, O M alle y an d C h am ot h ave e st ab lish e d th at tr

an slat io n ( de fin e d as usin g th e fir st
lan gua ge as a b ase fo r un de r st an di n g an d /or pr o du cin g
t h e se c on d lan guage ) ac c o unt e d

fo r o ve r 30 pe r c en t o f st r at e gy use s. I n bo th lan guag e

gr o up s, b e gin n er st ude n t s m o st ly

r e ly on r e p et it io n , tr an slat io n an d tr an sfe r , wh e r e as
m o r e adv an c e d st ude n t s r e so rt t o

in fe r e n c in g, t ho ugh wit ho ut ab an do n in g fam iliar st r at e

gie s suc h as r ep e t it ion an d

t r an slat io n ( 1990: 1 27) .

T h e o th e r e mp ir ic al st udy r ep or t in g fin di n gs r e le vant

to t h is t o p ic is Fr ie dl an de r 1990.

D r awin g o n th e r e sult s o f se ve r al in ve st igat io n s an d h is

o wn e x p er im e nt s, h e asc e rt ain e d

t h at p lan n in g o n c er t ain lan guage t op ic s se e m s t o b e e

n h anc e d whe n wr it e r s use t h e

lan gua ge o f to p ic - ar e a kn o wle dg e . Tr an slat io n fro m t h

e n at ive lan guage in t o E n glish

ap p e ar s t o h e lp r ath e r th at h in de r wr it e r s: th e y wer e
ab le t o ac c e ss m o re in for m at ion

wh e n wo r kin g in t h e ir fir st lan guage . Hen c e , Fr ie dl an

de r c on c lude s t h at E SL wr it er s

sh o uld b e e n co ur age d to use th e ir fir st lan guage wh il e

c om po sin g a dr aft an d t he n

t r an slat e ( Fr ie dl an de r 1990: 110- 1 13) .

T r an slat in g fr om L 2 int o L 1 se em s t o b e n at ur al, b ut

wh at abo ut a mo r e de m an di n g t ask,

r e n de r in g L 1 int o L 2? I t is c er t ain ly adv isab le to st ick

t o t he for m er m o de at lo we r le ve ls

an d le ave t h e lat t er for a m or e adv an c e d st age , alt

hough so m e ve r y simp le L 1- L 2

t r an slat io n act ivit ie s, e sp e c ially t h o se in vo lvin g awar e

n e ss r aisin g, c an also b e c arr ie d o ut

at th e in it ial st age s o f le arn in g.

On e sho uld r at h er e x p lo r e way s fo r it app ro pr iat e

ap p lic at io n wit h in th e c om m un ic at ive p ar adi gm , an d c
r e at e ch alle n gin g lan gu age

ac t ivit ie s wh ic h h ave c o gn it ive de p th . He n c e, tr an slat

io n act ivit ie s p ur sue d in an E FL

c lassr o o m o ugh t t o m e et t he fo llo win g c r it er ia:

- lan gua ge is use d fo r a p ur p o se ,

- t h e y c r e at e a de sir e for co mm un ic at io n ,

- t h e y e nc o ur age st ude nt s to b e c r e at ive an d co n tr ib

ute th e ir ide as,

- st ude n t s ar e fo c use d o n wh at t he y are say in g, r ath e

r t h an ho w th e y ar e say in g it ,

- st ude n t s wor k in de pe n de n t ly o f t h e t e ach e r

- st ude n t s de t e rm in e wh at t h e y wan t to say o r wr it e .

( aft e r N o lasc o , A rt h ur 1995: 59)

I n t h e lit e r at ur e , t wo t yp e s o f ap pr o ach e s to t r an
slat io n ar e sugge st e d: t op - do wn , fro m

t h e m ac r o t o t h e m ic r o le ve l, t h e or e t ic ally more
valid, an d b o t t om - up , m uc h e asie r to

fo llo w fo r t h o se who h ave no p re vio us t r ain in g in lin g

uist ic s ( B ake r 19 92: 6)

Autorica Popovic: Ho we ve r , tr an slat io n is no t a t im e - savin g

de vic e . I t c an b e in valuab le in

p r o vo kin g di sc ussio n an d h e lp in g us in cr e ase o ur o wn

an d o ur st ude n t s awar e n e ss o f th e

in e vit ab le in t e r ac t ion b et we e n th e m ot h er t o n gue and

t he t ar ge t lan guage in e vit ab ly

o c c ur r in g in th e p ro c e ss o f lan guage ac qu isit io n .

4) The role of translation in the EFL / ESL classroom

Walter Kasmer

May 1999

Module 2
MA TEFL/TESL ODL

University of Birmingham, UK

Kern (1994) conducted an interesting study whereby he looked at the

role of

translating as a cognitive strategy in the L2 (second language) reading

comprehension process. Kern found that students often used

translation to

understand the text. Cook (1992) also added that second language
learners use

their L1 (first language) while processing an L2. Her idea that an

instructor must

not separate the L1 from the L2, but instead should make use of the L1
while

instructing the student.

4 Approaches for using translation in the classroom

4.1 Bilingual immersion

The concept is to fully translate a whole class within a subject

category. A point to note would be that certain subjects more readily fit
within this

formulaic approach. ESL or EFL students learning math or music in

English

would fare better than trying to study history under the same format.

The students are translating directly what theyve heard in L2, English,
and

denoting the gist in L1. Students have found 1) the note taking was
easier in L1

and 2) their understanding upon review was maximized, in terms of

time and

brevity. Since Benoussan and Rosenhouse (1990) note that students

tend to

translate from L2 to L1 when reading L2 texts, why not take advantage

of this
within the context of an immersion program.

4.2 Co-teaching

Children received two hours of English instruction a week,

one delivered by the native English instructor in English with minimal

translation

and the other hour taught by a native Taiwanese instructor with drills
and pair

practice in English, but with grammar explanations in Chinese.

This co-teaching approach allows

students to make use of both their native and target language

grammars. The

teacher often checked comprehension by asking for the Chinese

equivalent of

the English phrase or word within a passage or sentence being studied.

By choosing texts and topics that are

more readily relatable to students cultural backgrounds, the EFL

instructor ease

students recall of the text as students will be able to access their own
schemata

to process the ideas presented in readings or discussions

4.3 Using Bilingual text

Now a teacher employing bilingual text shouldnt overemphasize the

native

language text. He doesnt need to read it for the students. The only
translation

should be a written one. All of the students verbal input should be in

English.

The teacher may assist students in pointing out structural differences

The use of bilingual text cuts down on the time needed to learn
vocabulary and

hence, the time needed to reach a better reading comprehension level.

Laufer (1996) felt that based on his research, L2 learners generally rely
on

vocabulary to help them negotiate meaning in text and speech. Laufer

continues

4.4 combination approaches

Another approach is Weschlers (1997) proposal, which suggests using a

hybrid

of the grammar-translation method combined with a communicative

method

5 Suggested activities

5.1 Lost in the translation

This activity is a variation of one of Weschlers (1997) ideas for an

activity. First

form a circle of up to 10 seated students. All students will receive a

number from

1 to 10. Each even numbered student will receive a different English

sentence

written across the top of a piece of paper given to him or her. Odd
numbered

students will each receive one of the same English sentences translated
into a

native language sentence, also written on the top of a piece of paper.

5.2 Bilingual dialogues

17

This technique employs pairing students off. One receives a native

language

version of a dialogue, the other an English version of the same dialogue.

Then

both students attempt to translate the dialogue. Later, the two students
will

compare results and act out the English dialogue. Depending on student
levels,

the discussion about the translated dialogues may be held in the

students native
language or in English. Again, this is another activity that serves as a

consciousness raiser in comparing a students L1 with his or her L2.

Students will

generally be able to access their L1 and use it to learn new vocabulary

by

translating.

5.3 Role-plays with native language brainstorming

This is a technique where a set of English discussion phrases are usually

pre-taught and practiced. Students now break into brainstorming
groups to develop

strategies for their later discussion with an opposing group. The

students for their

brainstorming may use L1. After, students seeking additional

appropriate English

vocabulary and sentences for the discussion may ask the teacher for
help.

Slobodan D. Jovanovi

Fakultet za pravne i poslovne studije Dr Lazar Vrkati

Srbija

PREVOENJE KAO VETINA U VLADANJU STRANIM JEZIKOM

ALI I SREDSTVO ZA NEGOVANJE SOPSTVENOG JEZIKA

UDC 8125

Struni rad

hen growing from the fertile

soil of studying and mastering vocabulary in general. On every level and

in every
sense, efforts constantly aimed at exercising, practising, acquiring,
broadening

and specialising vocabulary benefit from competently and

successfully chosen

support in the form of a literary text, while already existing and current
literary

output supplies an unlimited choice of samples. In the strong

intermingling of

available materials and said interests and needs, functional access to

the quality of

creation by individual authors, i.e. to their concrete texts chosen

and rec8

ommended for the teaching of lexis can only come after insight has
been gained

into the theoretical positions and current attitudes shaping the criteria
of selection,

as well as into what is essentially and initially expected from teaching

the lexis of

English as a foreign language.

One important use of translation that has been much neglected in all
this in

recent decades is actually in teaching the skill of translation itself. The

need for

this depends upon the determined objectives, but it is really important

to accept

the possibility of translation as an objective in language learning. It is

certainly

useful to be able to translate a foreign language, and anyone who has

spent some

years learning a foreign language is sometimes asked to translate

something for

someone who has little or no preparation in the language.

Translation is a

language activity that has to be learned through experience like

any other,
connecting it to the proper command and mastering of ones own
mother tongue

and culture.

Literary translation is considered

to be one of the highest forms of translation due to its immense

complexity. There are

scholars who would even claim that some of the forms of literature are
not translatable.

It follows from the fact that a literary translator has to be able not only
to translate from

one language to another, but also to interpret humorous features of a

specific work, to

pass on the feelings or emotions connected with the text, or perceive

and transfer various

cultural nuances that the author consciously or subconsciously included

into his or her

work. Not to mention the obvious need for a translator to master his or
her own mother

tongue.

Translating is a challenging

process in which a translator has to implement his knowledge of a

particular foreign

language and a related culture, as well as knowledge of his or her

own language and

culture. While learning a foreign language, being it English or any

other language,

students should acquire number of skills that would help them to

become successful

communicators of a desired language.

towards literary translation in teaching. Among the respondents
there were students of

English language and literature, students of English translation, as

well as students of

teaching English as a foreign language. Majority of them currently

study MA

programmes and all of them have a CAE or CPE level of English

proficiency.

As we can see, most of them advocate that translation is never as

good as the original

work, trying to achieve its qualities, but always failing. There may
be a belief that a

translator can never fully understand the authors meaning and his
intentions, unless the

two of them have a chance to meet and discuss the piece of work
properly (which is not

always possible and we could even say that it is a rather rare

situation). Some of the

metaphors, however, offer a more positive view on the work of

translators:

Translation was used as a means to spread knowledge. When

priests wanted

people to accept their religion they had to translate the important

religious texts into their

language. One of such examples would be Saints Cyril and

Methodius, Christian

missionaries who introduced Orthodox Christianity to Slavic peoples.

They were not only

able to translate religious texts and services, but they also had to
invent a new alphabet

for it.

Speaking about religion, one of the most frequently translated texts in

the history
is Bible. In fact, a written form of English language was born through
translation the

oldest Old English words and sentences we have are written in between
lines and on the

margins of pages of medieval religious texts (Lerer 19)

Translation has always been a part of our world. However, not always
was the

concept seen the same as it is seen now. In medieval times it was not
unusual when a

translator translated and maybe shortened or paraphrased a foreign

literary work and then

published it as his own.

5)

Literary Translation: Aspects of Pragmatic Meaning,

by Bahaa-eddin Abulhassan Hassan

This book first published 2011

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Literary translation is a type of translation which is distinguished

from

translation in general. A literary translation must reflect the

imaginative,

intellectual and intuitive writing of the author. In fact, literature is

distinguished by its aesthetics. Little concern has been devoted to

the

aesthetics of literary translations because these translations are

popularly
perceived as unoriginal (Devy 1999: 183). Belhaag (1997: 20)
summarizes

the characteristics of literary translations:

- expressive

- connotative

The Pragmatic Approach

- symbolic

- focusing on both form and content

- subjective

- allowing multiple interpretation

- timeless and universal

- using special devices to heighten communicative effect

- tendency to deviate from the language norms