Thematic integration of German-English translation

Abstract

The basis for this paper is an experimental course for advanced learners of German where German-English translation was integrated into a language course with the theme of socioeconomic problems in post-unification East Germany. The overall aim of the translation element of the course was to translate a variety of specialized texts while using translation theory in a practical way to inform the translation process. Content was a primary criterion for the selection of the translation texts, which included historical, economic, political, and literary texts relating to the theme of the module. An independent evaluation of the course was carried out; this showed an overall positive reaction to the use of translation in this way. The author argues that translation texts should both be relevant to the whole language course and also represent a wide range of text types, including examples of both functional and non-functional texts.