Conclusion

Why there are a lot of points in favor and in opposition around the concept of translation?

It is true that the concept of translation is complex, and this involves nowadays not only languages but also cultures, technology and communication. This means that translation have been evolved and it cannot be considered as a static term that only imply the exchange of meaning from one language to another. Translation should be considered instead as one of the mediums to achieve understanding and communication between a mother tongue or first language and other foreign or second language. Then, translation can pass to be a conversation between cultures in a negotiation of meanings in which not every single word is literally interpreted and not all expressions have always a well shape equivalence. Researchers like Anthony Pym let the door open to the interpretation of the concept of translation specifying some of the reasons why translation cannot be considered as an absolutely ineffective methodology to learn a language, it is true that translation is not good to achieve language fluency, but this can help to achieve critical reading skills, vocabulary and grammar structures.

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Therefore, translation can enhance the understanding of cultures and a better interpretation of common expressions in a foreign language. For example, the meanings of slang or idioms has not always equivalence in the mother tongue and vice versa, but once people have certain knowledge of the culture easily those meanings make sense for them. Another important part on this matter is the possibility to reflect over what is being translated. This means translation is a process not isolated and mechanic. Translation processes require time, taking notes and even sometimes a debate on meaning adaptation and equivalence, other times it is going to require support from a group of people that together come up with the best way of translating a document. So, team work is also necessary and beneficial in translation to achieve the better translation possible of the texts considering all the facts that can influence this complex process.

On the other hand, during the English learning process, there are many strategies and factors that can support us to develop all the skills that has this foreign language and thus, to achieve speaking it with fluency as a native speaker. Translation is one of them, and It has a lot of advantages to acquire a L2, since it can increase the level of vocabulary for instance, and it can also support us in some skills as reading and writing. Throughout years, translation methods and techniques had improved and with this, the English language learning thus, it had become a skill more. Popovic, R. (n.d) states that studious concluded “translation is a legitimate pedagogical tool specially in an EFL environment and claim that it deserves to be rehabilitated.” (Widdowson 1978:18, Harmer 1991:62, Ellis 1992:46, Bowen, Marks 1994:93; Ur 1996:40). Since, despite to be a good tool to teach a foreign language, had gone disappeared in the classrooms, this is due to the development of speaking skill. Therefore, it is important to mention as it has advantages, it has also some disadvantages, the author Guerra, A. (2014) on the other hand, states that “several scholars have argued that translation is not a useful tool when acquiring a second or foreign language.” This statement is on base of the fluency and the communication skills that learners can have during the English learning process, people who translate in mind a speech in an EFL is more delayed to answer and to speak with fluency in EFL.

As a general conclusion, translation can be a powerful tool to learn and to teach a foreign language if we talk about writing and reading skills for instance, but it does not work to have a complete good command of a foreign language since there will be a delay in such process. To have the skill of translate will be an advantage in everywhere to know a new culture, to be able to communicate through writing mostly and to achieve understanding of others. Translation needs dedication and deep studies about the mother language and target language in order to know the write words and give the right meaning to the same words. Teachers and students need the translation to acquire EFL but not at all.

References

Guerra, A. (2014, enero).The usefulness of Translation in Foreign Language Learning: students’ attitudes. [PDF] Retrieved  from http://repositori.uji.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10234/134505/62499.pdf

Popovic, R. (n.d.). The place of translation in Language Teaching [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.sueleatherassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Article_translationinlanguageteaching.pdf

[Pym, A.] (2009, May 28). On the ethics of translators' interventions 3. [Video File] Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuXK7DWagQ4

[Pym, A.] (2012, April 23). Theories of directional equivalence in translation. [Video File] Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9PcjIMkVU

[Pym, A.] (2013, October 25). Translation and language learning - Anthony Pym. [Video File] Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_8n3vLS1K0

[Smartling.] (2014, May 19). Why Translation Is Like Music. [Video File] Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrxX_JkIpIA