BY WAKUMAN KUDAMA
Addis Ababa University is to commence offering a new program, an MA in Translation studies, next September. Realizing the growing demand for the highly qualified personnel in the discipline, the university in collaboration with Embassy of France in Ethiopia and the Ministry of Culture and Sport has been accomplishing activities to launch the program.
The Ethiopian Herald approached Assistant Professor Yohannes Beyene (PhD) requesting him to share some ideas in relation to this new program with our readers. Dr. Yohannes who has carried out extensive research on translation is a curriculum developer of the new program. He speaks French, Amharic, English, German and Italian. He taught English and Amharic in Paris. He also taught English at Adama University and Royal University College where he also served as a vice president. He is also teaching French at Mission Militaire and Addis Ababa University. During his stay with The Ethiopian Herald, he discussed the significance of the program and related issues. Excerpts:
EH: What are the reasons to begin this new program? What makes this program relevant and timely? Is there any growing demand for the program?
Dr. Yohannes: There are many reasons for the commencement of the training in Translation studies at MA level. To mention some:
* One of the most important reasons to launch the MA Program in Translation studies could be the need to obtain highly qualified personnel in Translation. This will indeed alleviate the shortage of trained manpower in the country in general and promote sociocultural linguistic research endeavor in particular.
* The second reason could be the need-based request of the MA program seekers in Translation. There are so many BA, MA and MSc graduates who want to specialize in Translation studies at an MA level by researching translation-related problems in the areas of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, arts and humanities and come up with practical solutions.
* Moreover, Addis Ababa is home to various international organizations which demand translators more than any other African city. The presence of international organizations (AU, EU, UN, ECA) and numerous international languages-speaking embassies, multinational enterprises, etc.) demand qualified translators offering many opportunities to the graduates and to the field. The need of qualified translators is a national and continental interest; local organizations are currently unable to meet the demand for translators (most of whom are recruited on an ad hoc basis from abroad).
* In a nut shell, today, documents of various sorts are still being translated, but by amateurish translators with no professional expertise. Therefore, prof essional translators are needed to translate various documents which meet the quality standard. Under all these circumstances, a master’s degree in translation at Addis Ababa University would open up new perspectives .
EH: Why has the college not begun the program as yet?
Dr. Yohannes: In fact, introductory pedagogical translation courses are being offered by the Departments of Amharic, Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Linguistics, and Foreign Languages and Literature. In order to run a professional translation training program, however, the teachers should be equipped with professional translation competences. We have qualified teachers in other disciplines; but they lack translation competences. Now that the Translation curriculum designers took and are taking continuous trainings in translation sciences, technology and methodology, terminology development, and related fields, they are now capable of teaching the proposed translation courses. Accordingly, the Program will be run smoothly.
EH: What makes this program different from other disciplines? Any of its uniqueness?
Dr. Yohannes: This program is interdisciplinary by its very nature. The mix of experts from local and foreign languages from various departments (from other domains as well) qualifies the college to run the new MA program in translation and curb the shortage of translation professionals in the country by producing competent translators and translation teachers. The Program also engages experts from other domains, like, Law, Business and Economics, Medicine etc. Because of we have legal translations, special translations that incorporate all these experts. That makes it unique as it involves multi-expertise.
EH: What is/ are significance(s) of this program for the current language policy? Sociocultural situation?
Dr. Yohannes: Ethiopia is characterized by socio-cultural diversity that it has been well-styled as the museum of nationalities where more than 80 languages are spoken excluding a range of social and geographical dialects.
Recently, some of the languages Amharic, Tigrinya, Afan Oromo, Somali, and Afar are gaining the privilege of becoming the working languages of the government of Ethiopia. By implication, a number of government or official documents will be produced and published in these languages which in turn involve the demand for translation into other languages. That is why the development of the profession of translation and interpretation is encouraged by the FDRE in its Language Policy Document. This program, thus, plays a significant role in promoting and addressing the current language policy.
EH: Does it have any role in reinforcing the dev’t of Ethiopia’s literature? How?
Dr. Yohannes: Translation allows literature to travel. It means that writers can speak out across generations and cultures through translations. Translated work can enrich and benefit the language into which it is translated, bringing new terms and ideas with it.
What is more, literary translation is a hugely important task. It helps to shape a reader’s understanding of the world, their history, philosophy, politics, and more. Translation does not only reinforce the development of Ethiopia’s literature, it is quite crucial for the transmission of information and knowledge, a protector of cultural heritage, and essential to the development of a global economy and social innovations. It is a protector of cultural heritage.
EH: Who would be attending the program? Target beneficiary from the study? How do you select the trainees?
Dr. Yohannes: To be admitted to the program, candidates must have:
* A very good command of English, and major Ethiopian or other foreign languages.
* Passing result in the entrance examination earmarked for the program.
* Bachelor of Arts or its equivalent (in any field of expertise)
* Awareness of a general knowledge of national, regional and global affairs. There would be aggressive examination, particularly, the written ….First, they should pass the GAT, Graduate Assessmement Test.
EH: How do you see the impact of translation in Ethiopia in particular and world’s literature in general?
Dr. Yohannes: Speaking of the impact of translation in Ethiopia in particular and world’s literature in general, translation helps preserve literature. While the language might not be widespread, translation offers the works a much larger audience for many years to come.
Globally speaking, translation must be considered as one of the touchstones of an edifice whose construction will enable Ethiopia to envisage its relations with the rest of the African continent and the rest of the world with various domains.
EH: Any message you would like to convey?
Dr. Yohannes: For the success of this program, the University is working in collaboration with the Embassy of France in Ethiopia and Ministry of Culture and Sport in matters of Translation and Interpreting. The embassy organized intensive first-phase training on Translation in November 2022 for eight Addis Ababa University teachers selected from various departments and one participant from the Ministry. The Embassy will again organize the second-phase, advanced level training on similar topic to be held next month. The training plays a significant role in equipping the teachers with professional translation competences. This in turn will reinforce the succesessful launching of this program in response to the need to fill the existing gap.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 24 MAY 2023
