The need to institutionalise translation at
the Moroccan universities:
Following recent reforms in higher education in Morocco pledging for a review
and re-examination of the current pedago-curricular issues at tertiary level in order to
develop innovative, dynamic and efficient tools to lead the educational output to serve durable, social and
economical needs, only few postgraduate programs were created to
satisfy both professional and academic purposes. It seems that the Fahd school of translation is taking the monopoly of training translators in the country, despite the fact that translation programmes (BA's, MA's and even PhD's) witness a constant growth wordlwide. In the words of Susan Bassnet (2002: 1) : “Today interest in the field (of translation) has never been stronger and the
study of translation is taking place alongside an increase in its practice all
over the world.”
It seems that the first step to follow in order to equip our future translators
with the education and training that could ease their integration into the
professional world and job market is a careful rethinking and examining of the
methodologies as well as the institutionalisation of the discipline .The last
point is the focus of this article. If the first factor could provide the tools
and the aptitude the student translator need the latter (institutionalisation)
would provide the social recognition, respect and face value that is worthy of
every profession. In this respect Anthony Pym (2010:198) states:
“Regardless of whatever the theories (of translation) might actually say, the
institutionalisation of this field within the social sciences is a supportive
correlative of the professionalisation of Translation ". In the same vein Caminade and Pym (2001:1716) stipulated the ‘dramatic’
increase in the number of translation and institutions offering diplomas in the
west during the last three decades. Further they pointed out that the number of
translator training institutes was raised from “49 in 1960 up to 250 in 1995”.
Further, in relation to the impact of institutionalising translation on the
development of research and translation pedagogy, Caminade and Pym (2001:1717)
state\ that after translator training was integrated within the academic arena
it became gradually ‘attached’ to TRANSLATION STUDIES “ as a result of which
pedagogical programmes gained “greater legitimacy within the university
environment”. Further, Ulrych (1996:253) argues that "trends in translation pedagogy are
increasingly in favour of interfacing vocational and educational components",
which adds to the ongoing literature that supports the idea that a balance
between the professional and the academic sides are feasible.
Has Moroccan universities been active in this sense in responding to the
ongoing advances and progress that is taking place to a discipline that has
been underestimated within the academic corridors for so long?
The situation In Morocco:
Unlike other countries in the world, including the Arab world, Translator
training programs at university level had taken a very slow path in Morocco.
Apart from The Fahd School of Translation (1986) (annexed to the University of
Abdel Malik saadi later on, only a timid tentative had been launched to
establish two Master level translation programs in the Faculties of Arts and
Human Sciences at Al Jadida (University Chouaib Doukali) and Mohammedia
(Hassan2 University) and more recently at the Sultane Moulay Slimane University
in Beni Melal.
In Algeria ,Universities in Major Cities(Oran, Algier and Annaba), and following
a state decree and major changes in the management and organization of Algiers
university during the eighties, had even went far in including Translation
units, departments or annexing existing institutes of translation within the
foreign languages departments. In the new millennium, the universities went far
to include postgraduate degrees including a doctorate program, in addition to
the already existing four year undergraduate programmes Aisssani (2000:
482-484). It seems that our neighbours are doing better.
In Morocco, despite this sloppy surge in translator training and education
programs within the foreign language departments in the last 10 years , we fear
that we still lag behind in terms of fundamental factors necessary for
enhancing and establishing the institutionalisation of the interdisciplinary
field of translation ;such as integrating adequate and viable theoretical
framework ,establishing pertinent databases for corpus studies and terminology,
providing pedagogical tools and methods that make use of both theory and
practice as well as introducing authentic real life situation into practical
translation classroom….not to forget training teaching personnel to deliver
sound and appropriate methods within the classroom…ect.It seems that there is a
call to actively catch up with the fastly growing activities worldwide in translation
practice, theory and research that had taken place during the last few years
especially after Holme’s (1972/2000) initiative of envisaging his Map (Holme’s
map) of Translation Studies as a prominent theoretical framework for the
practice of translation. Holmes classified Translation studies as a field of
scientific research into three categories: descriptive translation , theoretical
translation and applied translation (this includes translator training).Our
field of research falls within the last category.
This initiative had paved the way for the mushrooming of various translator
training and education programs at tertiary level in the west followed by some
Asian countries the likes of china and India and then other countries in the
developing world: Africa, the Middle east and south America .However, the
question remains -as far as the Moroccan context is concerned-did we make use
of that broad body of ‘translatorial’ knowledge and integrate it in our post
grade programs as a reference framework to use by teachers and students alike
in our translation programs and open the doors for research initiatives in
Translation as well as improving the teaching and learning objectives to be
geared towards professional ends?. Did any teaching staff had ever tempted to
use theoretical inputs from translation studies to explain and justify
translation problems during the translation workshops /group works or even in
classroom teaching? Did the students ever use that type of metalanguage either
in their classroom discussion or in their BA monograph? Did any professional
practising translator have ever though to embed this substance in their
revision commentaries or in discussing their translation choices with their
clients or their fellow colleagues?
In our opinion answers to the above questions may shed some lights into finding
the right pathways to plan an efficient, innovative and realistic translation
curriculum for advanced translation students in our universities.
Institutionalising the discipline with the university context can be a
promising platform to launch the said translation project that could serve not
only academia but society and the economy as well. In this article, am going to limit my intervention to explain and analyse the
first point that deals with the integration of theory and practice in the
postgraduate university translation curriculum as a crucial step to move
forward to institutionalising the discipline and gain the respect it deserves
within our society.
Universities as institutions have their social obligation to equip students
with the best education and with life long durable competences and knowledge
that they could use to contribute to social and economic developments. In this
regard, Neubert (1989:5) states that the type of translation studied at
universities should not be taught to stay within the coffins of ‘an
intellectual ivory tower’, but to serve ‘social needs”.
A clear example about the social benefits that translation activities could
deliver to society is the dubbing of the south American soap series at the
national TV channel 2M .After being carried out for too long with French and
then Egyptian series and movies, the idea of localising the foreign movies and
series could well improve the social and economical development in the country
and translation industry alike. It makes perfect sense to diffuse a program in
a language that most of our population can understand: Moroccan dialect. From
the perspective of translation studies, as an area of research and knowledge on
translation (spoken or written) ,this is an innovative initiative and welcoming
move. Translation studies, as we mentioned before, is broader in scope and it
comprises the study of both standard languages and local varieties .It is a
professional activity that satisfies communicative social needs. Still, there
seems to be resistance from conservative views which considers that the use of
non-standard Arabic or even native-indigenous languages as a form of public speech
or discourse is politically motivated and part of the colonial campaign against
the use and usage of standard Arabic.
Another example consists in the work of some NGOs in Morocco who tend to reach
the far remote neglected social groups and areas in the country to either fight
poverty or aridity in the framework of humanitarian and sustainable development
activities. These organisations always use local intermediaries to mediate with
the local population and, perhaps, translating documents as well. So translators
/Interpreters facilitate the communication between the organisations that seek
to help the needy persons who-themselves- benefit from the action respectively.
We believe that a better structuring of that activity via delivering
appropriate and professional training could well benefit the system, the NGOs
and the beneficiaries; such community interpreting ,sight translation…ect.
On the other hand some of these organisations have recently went far in
spreading missionary work taking advantage of both the untrained interpreters
(at least training on ethics) and the poverty and ignorance of the local
population. This is indeed a point to reconsider as it threatens a major pillar
of our identity: Islam and our system of beliefs.
Finally, and due to the strategic geopolitical position of Morocco on the world
map , the language mediation sector is quite an important product that is in
demand to satisfy the needs of the business ,international cooperation and
socio-economic development. Currently, there seems to be chaos in the market as
to the real actors and market mechanisms that govern the translation and
interpreting industries in Morocco. We hope to give to the outside world a
professional outlook of the communications we provide in other languages for
the investors ,foreign governments ,foreign entities of any type about the
quality ,professional standards of our documents or communications –be it
written or oral. Therefore, we support the idea that it is helpful for the
actors in the translation industry and practice to receive a type of education
and training in translation /interpreting: short term or long term, either for
aspiring new translators in the market or for already practising translators.
They need to be recognised and visible.
Hence, well structured quality and professional education in translation may
contribute to a remarkable output and benefit remarkably both society and the
economy alike. In the below paragraphs we shall highlight the current
translator training environment at Moroccan universities and diagnose the
existing syllabuses and course contents and their viability vis-à-vis the
Moroccan context and the ongoing practises worldwide.
In the below section, I shall tackle the issues highlighted in the previous
paragraphs: The existence or non-existence of an adequate and convenient
theoretical components proper to the practice of translation as an end in its
own right and a field of research, and which will serve as the resource for the
development of a metalanguage that future professional translators or
researchers in translation may need in their professional practice.
Current Issues the teaching of Translation at Moroccan universities:
Undergraduates and Postgraduates.
Highlights on the teaching of translation in Morocco
In terms of course contents ,the teaching of translation at the Moroccan
university for advanced students in tertiary level was portrayed to be lacking
of a structured and adequate theoretical components that could be of great use
and help to both teachers and students. For instance, it has been argued that
teachers do neither rely on ongoing models or approaches in the field, nor on
the ‘the recent development in functional and text linguistics”, this includes
areas like text linguistics, register analysis, pragmatics, discourse analysis
(Mehrash, 2003: 105).
A point we strongly support after our experience in teaching translation
practice and theory for undergraduates and postgraduate students in Morocco.
Some translation programs may include a theoretical input such as Discourse
analysis or Contrastive linguistics or comparative stylistics .Still, they are
taught from a linguistic prescriptive and not applied to translation practice.
Their scope is not sufficient to befit an interdisciplinary and multifaceted
course like translation. The role of the translator in making conscious choices
and strategies seem to be excluded during classroom translation activities
.Real life and workplace activities are excluded from the practical translation
course. This seems an issue that need to be revised and approached differently
and with an appropriate teaching methodology.
Also, few BA monographs written by students of the English department of
Mohamed 5 university (Rabat) on the issues they faced in the way translation
was taught at their university, they all agree on the very poor use of the
theory of translation insights or various other approaches in the field of
translation study: such as the linguistic, functional linguistic, text
linguistics or discursive approaches that have been known for so long in the
literature. They made it clear that it would be helpful for them if their
translation workshops were better structured and commented on the part of the
teacher and that relevant and applied theoretical contents should be added to
the program to support their commentaries and reflexions.Further, there were
unhappy responses from the students in their monographs about material (texts)
and the teacher centred and monotonous methodology. Still, is it the fault of the
administration to appoint unsuitable staff to deliver such a diverse course OR
the objectives of the administration for that course are clearly outlined to
achieve only language proficiency? or is there an impasse and a lack of
innovative methods of teaching translation, also the lack of adequate personnel
to do the task? Or just the course is looked at as of minor importance, despite
the fact that many scholars (literary or linguists) seem to be highly
interested in translation!.
Although Mehrash had used the above components as evaluation and assessment
criteria in his research on both novice and trained translators to assess the
performance of the heterogeneous group of students, we believe that it might be
an important tool to be used by competent teachers in the classroom, especially
in an advanced specialised translation course. The critical issue, though, is
how to apply that theoretical component and bridge it with practice during a
translation practicum, or even during delivering a dynamic non-translation
‘cours magistrales’ for translation students using corpus methodology instead
of actual translation practice as a pre-translation warm up exercise for the
advanced students. Also, whether the functional /textual approach seems not to
be a narrow and insufficient to approach authentic translation assignments and
projects? I prefer to leave this particular point until the upcoming article on
teaching methodology.
In the same vein, (Messoudi :2003)stipulates that the stifling of the
translation act or the teaching of translation for inappropriate ends (such as
: as a means to teach foreign languages )in Morocco, the lack of pertinent
translation manuals ,the ‘timid’ and ‘discrete’ presence of research papers and
publications in translation studies ,as well as the delay-including other
countries- to promote teaching the role of ethics in translation education ,and
finally the delay in developing pertinent professional translation programs
….all these factors contributed to ‘the stagnation’ of the teaching of
translation in Morocco.
Messoudi’s highlights seem more curriculum-oriented since she tackles broad
issues in the pedagogy, such as the objectives of the program , reference to
teaching material, research issues in translation , ethical and professional
side of the discipline. These elements –if properly re-examined and tackled-
might contribute to major macro improvement in our translation programs at the
tertiary level. She also contends that the solution to tackle this problem
remains in the hands of authorities in charge as well as the course planners
who should see the translation activity as an end in itself and taught as such,
and not as a ‘didactic support’. Also she reiterates that reflecting on
translation studies in Arabic is strongly encouraged and could be the way ahead
to achieve progress in our context (Messoudi 2003).
We adhere to Messoudi’s broad and comprehensive coverage of major issues in
translation programs in morocco, but we have reservation on the use of manuals
for advanced students of translation; rather we should be looking at resources
such as current rewrites in the discipline since we are at an advanced program
where not only practice is at stake but research as well .Added to this is the
importance of teaching authentic and project based texts to advanced students
of translation. For instance students may consult current rewrites(Munday 2000
,Venuti 2000 ) , in translation studies and other important books comprising
insightful theories such as Christiane Nord’s (1997) used by many teachers to
teach dynamic texts types such as marketing documentation, advertising, all
types of commercially oriented texts. Added to this is the necessity to provide
authentic/not outdated materials (texts) for students and that classroom teaching
should be addressed with a different pedagogy and that activities should be
organised with a more collaborative and cooperative way rather than a purely
teacher cantered method.
From the above interventions on the situation of the translation didactics and
pedagogy in morocco, we could sense the flaws in which we are in and the urgent
need to revise the curriculum, develop and reorganise the syllabus as well as
the teaching pedagogy for both the programs and the independent courses of
translation taught in undergraduate levels for final year students in the
department of modern languages.
Further highlights
In parallel to the previous inputs regarding the importance of embedding the
teaching of theoretical components, Ulrych (1996:257) raises the following
questions: “what kind of theory is to be presented? and how much ?”.She
suggests representing theories of translation that refer to translation as a
product (a body of knowledge comprising history, principles ...etc) and then as
a process (which deals with the actual ‘translating’ act that translators
undergo).She further adds that:
“Members of all professions have a historical and theoretical component to
their expertise. It is only against a theoretical background of translation
that effective decision making and production can take place (…) the problem
arises, therefore, of how to integrate a course on translation theory within
the curriculum.”
In my opinion, and in an answer to Ulrych’s previous statement on how to
integrate theory as content material in a postgraduate translation program in
the Moroccan context, and in reference to our experience in teaching
theoretical inputs in translation courses at university level in Morocco, we
propose:
Either to teach translation theory and principles in the first semester of a
Masters course or –preferably- teach the component in parallel with the
translation course in third year undergraduate studies in English language
departments (i.e including two course elements of translation for finalist
undergraduates: the translation practicum and the course about the principles,
techniques of translation). .This would yield the following outputs:
1-Equip students of the English department who are willing to embark on a
translation program with sufficient basic background about the area of study
they wish to represent in the real world: its principles and strategies. Also,
it will be the type of knowledge that will serve them for life time as
professionals, practitioners, teachers or researchers in the field.
2-Allow the students to have basic metalanguage to address their assignments in
the classroom vis-à-vis their teacher (provided that a more interactive dynamic
pedagogy is applied) or as a theoretical framework for their final BA project
if they choose to undertake it in translation.
At the Masters level, we propose the translation theory/principles component to
be taught along the history of translation prior to teaching Translation
Studies and its recent developments. The first to address the principles and
practises of translation over the ages either in the west or in the east
(including Islamic or Arabic experiences, mainly the translation tradition in
Morocco).We believe that historical background is of great importance to the
future professional translator to enhance his/her status and be conscious of
heritage of the discipline he /she has chosen to engage in. Also ,teaching or
learning the history of translation by both translator trainees and practising
translators is a crucial step into building professional translation aptitude
since ‘ they develop a self concept as translators working in a specific
historical situation’ like their fellow colleagues did over the ages . Brian
Mossop (2003:49).
Also , other scholars in translation studies had highlighted that trainee
translators should not feel that they are entering a “brand new profession”
with no historic roots whatsoever; rather , they should be aware of the roles
played by its professionals (western or eastern professionals) and it is a
profession that has “evolved over time like other forms of human activity” ,and
that holding such an attitude on the part of the students “may also contribute
to enhancing the social status of the profession” (Chesterman, 1996: p 67).
Added to the previous highlights on bridging the practical and educational
parts in translator training as well as the importance of teaching theory and
critical thinking and its applicability in the practical translation sessions
of the future language mediator expert, Echeverri (2005:9) contends that the
teaching of a translation proper metalanguage should be a strategic factor in
the syllabus design and curriculum building. He stipulates that ‘familiarizing’
students with the translation metalanguage as well as promoting its use (through
classroom discussion, research, assignments and group projects, and
commentaries) is one of the “determining factors of the professional character
of university education”.
Echeveri’s view point clearly determines the importance of combining the substance(the
metalinguistic and metacognitive baggage) with the practice (the actual
transferring ,instrumental and generic and relational skills that would
facilitate the integration of the trainee translator in the modern market place
).He further elaborates on the pedagogical outcome of that initiative ,
especially in collaborative work between students within an actual and
realistic classroom interaction, whereby they autonomously identify translation
problems ,use various instrumental and non instrumental means to solve them and
find solutions .In this regards Echeveri,follows the footsteps of
kiraly’s(2001) social constructivism trend applied in the actual classroom
context of translator training.
At a postgraduate level, the institutionalisation and balancing of education
and practice of the translation act, as well as improving the infrastructure
and providing resources to run the pedagogical operations should yield quality
output and achieve sustainable results. Also, Maria Gonzales (2005) enthusiastically supports the idea of embedding the
teaching of translation studies in university translation programmes .She
argues the great benefits that an ‘intertwinement’ and ‘parallelism’ between
various theoretical developments in translation studies and the translation
didactics may bring into a translator training program .She, advocates the use
of a variety of theoretical approaches (not only textual /linguistic approaches
) in translation classes during practical assignments.
Contrary to Gonzales , Hatim and Mason (1997) who emphasise the role of text
types and functional text grammar as a determining factor on translator
education, which is centred –according to them- around text types and that each
type of text imposes different ‘demands’ on the translator in terms of choices
and strategies .This approach was well explained by Gonzales in her article ,
but she contended that it is –within the framework of current trends in
Translation studies- narrow and needs more scope such as the embedding of other
approaches as well ,not only the textual/discursive dimensions .Still, Hatim’s
approach may suit better a an advanced university course in translation where
Arabic is involved and due to its academic orientation.
So, in terms of scope, and within university teaching contexts, it is advisable
to let students understand that translation process or translation product can
be approached from a wide perspective depending on functional, historical,
textual, ethical, social and cultural criteria of communicative situation in
which the translation act or the text itself operates. Out of all these
options, students need to critically build the appropriate strategy to apply a
choice to adopt in the translation process. Therefore, flexibility is a feature
to account for in the training /education process of future to be translators.
Conclusion:
In this paper we tried to present and highlight one of the core issues
inhibiting the translator training and education programme at the university
level for postgraduate students of translation in Morocco. Perhaps the same
issue applies in other educational establishments in the region. Various
reasons were at stake of the said stagnation, such as the lack of a proper
pedagogy that could gear the advanced translation course towards professional
purposes without neglecting the importance of the educational components .If
the vocational part of the courses takes care of developing appropriate and
tailored skills, the educational elements in the curriculum will ensure
delivering students equipped with critical thinking and durable competences.
Universities are the best place to get balanced education-training
opportunities for tomorrow’s translators in morocco. Still, the
institutionalisation of Translator training programs is a major step towards
achieving major improvements in professionalising translation. Still,
institutionalising the new emerged discipline is conditioned by the existing or
not of various factors; such as viable pedagogical program, pertinent curricula
and adequate teaching methodologies and personnel.
Further, it is to be highlighted that Translation research activities aim to
work cooperatively with the practitioners .No one benefits from keeping the
divide between academia and the practitioners of translation; Because , the
latters are the ones who could provide data and feedback for the scholars
(mostly translation problems and issues) .Reciprocally , the practitioners will
be in need of the translation studies as a main framework of reference for them
when the need to resolve problems in the professions (text problems, ethical
problems ..ect) , in addition to the fact that having such institutionalised
profession may well enhance the social and professional status of the
practitioners as well. Similar to any other type of profession.
The above strategy will yield an important outcome that is badly needed in
postgraduate studies related to translation: research data and methodologies.
Developing and making use of the metalanguage proper to translation research will
contribute remarkably to both institutionalising and professionalising
translation at university level.
Finally, we hope that by using an adequate and planned theoretical component in
a translation curriculum as well as promoting translation research will have a
considerable impact on the discipline and the profession and raise from its
standards in both the market and society alike.
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