Exploring Translator and Interpreter Training in the Trinidad and Tobago Context: An overview
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.22.1.3Keywords:
Trinidad and Tobago, Anglophone Caribbean, translator training, interpreter training, certificationAbstract
This article provides an overview of the current provision of translator and interpreter training in the English-speaking Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. In contextualising the country's current linguistic and geopolitical situation, including the growing prominence of Spanish in the country's society, present conditions regarding the need for translational services are outlined. The overview adopts a literature-based approach which involves analysing the websites of tertiary institutions in Trinidad and Tobago where translation and interpreting-related training provision is currently on offer. Through examination of the relevant course syllabi and the pertinent degree and diploma programmes available, available course offerings are presented and discussed, thus giving a solid panorama of the present landscape regarding translator and interpreter training options in the country. Finally, although interpreter training seems well-established in the country, suggestions are offered regarding possible future steps for translator training in the Trinidad and Tobago context, as well as pointers for subsequent empirical research in the future.
References
Anatol, M., & Kangalee, Q.-M. (2020). Crime in Trinidad and Tobago: the possible impacts of increased crime due to migration from Venezuela. Migration and Development, 10(2), 260-272. https://doi.org/10.1080/21632324.2020.1809281
Baxter, R.N. (2014). Undergraduate interpreter training in the Spanish state: An analytical comparison. Sendebar, 25, 219–246.
Best, G. (2008, April 13). Found in translation. UWI Today, 6.
Bogle, D. (2016). Translation in the Anglophone and Francophone Caribbean: Facts and Figures. Sargasso: Journal of Caribbean Literature, Language & Culture, 2015-16 (I & II), 49–58.
Braithwaite, B. (2018). Language contact and the history of sign language in Trinidad and Tobago. Sign Language Studies, 19(1), 5–39.
Braithwaite, B., Drayton, K.-A., & Lamb, A. (2011). The history of Deaf language and education in Trinidad and Tobago since 1943. History in Action, 2(1).
Caribbean School of Languages (2021). Preparation Course / Diploma in Translation / Institute of Linguists. https://csltt.net/diploma-in-translation-diptrans/
CIOL (2021a). CIOL Qualifications – Level 7 Diploma in Translation (DipTrans). https://www.ciol.org.uk/diptrans
CIOL (2021b). Find a centre or course. https://www.ciol.org.uk/centres
COSTAAT (2021a). Who we are. https://www.costaatt.edu.tt/about-2/
COSTAAT (2021b). AAS Foreign Language for Business: Spanish. https://www.costaatt.edu.tt/course/aas-foreign-language-for-business-spanish/
COSTAAT (2021c). BA Spanish for Business. https://www.costaatt.edu.tt/course/ba-spanish-for-business/
COSTAAT (2021d). Translation and Interpreting Services Unit. https://www.costaatt.edu.tt/about-2/translation-and-interpretation-unit/
Fraser, N. (2020, May 12). Communications Ministry seeks Spanish translators. Trinidad & Tobago Newsday. https://newsday.co.tt/2020/05/12/communications-ministry-seeks-spanish-translators/
Giustini, D. (2020). Interpreter training in Japanese higher education: An innovative method for the promotion of linguistic instrumentalism? Linguistics and Education, 56, 100792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2019.100792
Hoyte-West, A. (2020). Interpreter training in the Republic of Ireland: An overview. Verbum, 11(8). https://doi.org/10.15388/Verb.19
Hoyte-West, A. (2021). A return to the past? The Spanish as the First Foreign Language policy in Trinidad and Tobago. Open Linguistics, 7(1), 235-243. https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2021-0018
Lakić, I., & Pralas, J. (2016). Translation training for the EU: The case of Montenegro. Current Trends in Translation Teaching and Learning E, 3, 87–118.
Mikkelson, H. (2014). Evolution of public service interpreter training in the U.S. FITISPos International Journal, 1(1), 9–22. https://doi.org/10.37536/FITISPos-IJ.2014.1.0.6
Mohan, S.S. (2019). A ‘Migrant Registration Framework’: Counting Venezuelan immigrants in Trinidad and Tobago. Oxford Monitor of Forced Migration, 8(1), 41–45.
Robinson, A.N.R., Watts, D., & Brereton, B. (2020). Trinidad & Tobago. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Trinidad-and-Tobago
Romaine, S. (2017). Pidgins and Creoles. In Bergs, A., & Brinton, L.J. (eds.) The History of English. Volume 5: Varieties of English (pp. 385–402). De Gruyter Mouton.
Salhi, H. (2011). Translator training in Tunisia today: Market challenges and available opportunities. Comparative Legilinguistics, 5, 35-50. https://doi.org/10.14746/cl.2011.5.03
Silis, J. (2009). Training of translators and interpreters in Latvia. Mutatis Mutandis: Revista Latinoamericana de Traducción, 2(2), 244-262.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
UWI Mona (2021). M.A. in Translation. https://www.mona.uwi.edu/modlang/ma-translation-studies
UWI St Augustine (2021a). About UWI. https://sta.uwi.edu/about
UWI St Augustine (2021b). SPAN 3504 Spanish Translation I. https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dmll/SPAN3504.asp
UWI St Augustine (2021c). SPAN 3505 Spanish Translation II. https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dmll/SPAN3505.asp
UWI St Augustine (2021d). Postgraduate Diploma in Interpreting Techniques. https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dmll/PGInterpreting.asp
UWI St Augustine (2021e). Caribbean Interpreting and Translation Bureau. https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dmll/citb.asp
UWI St Augustine (2021f). INTE 5004 Practicum. https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe/dmll/INTE5004.asp
UWI St Augustine (2021g). The Confucius Institute at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. https://sta.uwi.edu/confucius/
Wallace, W.C., & Mortley, N.K. (2020). (De)constructing our migrant neighbours: regional and international impacts of the Venezuelan crisis in the Caribbean. Migration and Development, 10(2), 173-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/21632324.2020.1809276
Xu, J. (2005). Training translators in China. Meta, 50(1), 231–249. https://doi.org/10.7202/010671ar
Zhan, C. (2014). Professional interpreter training in mainland China: Evolution and current trends. International Journal of Interpreter Education, 6(1), 35–41.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Antony Hoyte-West
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All published articles in the ESNBU are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don't have to license their derivative works on the same terms.
In other words, under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license users are free to:
Share - copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material
Under the following terms:
Attribution (by) - All CC licenses require that others who use your work in any way must give you credit the way you request, but not in a way that suggests you endorse them or their use. If they want to use your work without giving you credit or for endorsement purposes, they must get your permission first.
NonCommercial (nc) - You let others copy, distribute, display, perform, and modify and use your work for any purpose other than commercially unless they get your permission first.
If the article is to be used for commercial purposes, we suggest authors be contacted by email.
If the law requires that the article be published in the public domain, authors will notify ESNBU at the time of submission, and in such cases the article shall be released under the Creative Commons 1 Public Domain Dedication waiver CC0 1.0 Universal.
Copyright
Copyright for articles published in ESNBU are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. Authors retain full publishing rights and are encouraged to upload their work to institutional repositories, social academic networking sites, etc. ESNBU is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.
Exceptions to copyright policy
Occasionally ESNBU may co-publish articles jointly with other publishers, and different licensing conditions may then apply.
