Fudan University will set up the city's first undergraduate
translation program this September to meet the growing demand for
professional translators.
Several foreign language professors in the city have questioned
the program, however, saying translation isn't suitable for
undergraduate level education.
Fudan plans to enroll 16 to 17 high school graduates from all
over the country as the first batch of English-Chinese translation
majors this year.
Students will be required to take professional skill trainings,
such as translation and interpretation, as well as cultural
education courses including Chinese literature.
He Gangqiang, dean of Fudan's translation department, said that
people tend to think that those who can understand a foreign
language are able to translate.
"That is absolutely wrong," He said, adding that only
English-speakers with professional translation training are
qualified for such a job.
But setting up undergraduate translation program isn't a good
solution to the problem, said Chai Mingjiong, a professor at
Shanghai International Studies University.
"Translation is a highly demanding skill that should be based on
students mastery of a foreign language," Chai said.
"Since most freshmen don't have solid English abilities, that
means teachers still have to start with basic English teaching in
the initial school years," he said.
Those courses will make no difference between translation and
ordinary English majors, which will waste educational resources,
Chai added.
He said translation training should reserved for postgraduates
who have already mastered a second language.
About 300 million people across China are currently learning
English as a foreign language.
But most of the English-learners are low-level beginners.
"We should come to realize that the country is still facing
severe shortage of top foreign language professionals, especially
translators and interpreters," Wu Qidi, Vice Minister of Education
said.
(Shanghai Daily March 27, 2006)
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