Sight translation as a pedagogical tool to enhance translation skills

Abstract

Over the years, sight translation has been used as pedagogical tool for teaching interpreting especially in simultaneous and consecutive forms. Research has always focused on how sight translation improves interpreting skills. However, very little research has explored its impact in boosting translation skills. Thus, this study investigates how the practice of sight translation can improve translation skills among students. The study is a descriptive analysis of data generated from 30 final year students who took translation at the Delta State University. Sight translation was used as a tool to enhance their translation skills for a period of six months. The findings show that students achieved significant progress as regards translation speed, choice of register and sentence splitting. The study concludes, therefore, that sight translation also be applied in translation as it improves significantly the appropriate translation speed rate, and sentence splitting technique. This study provides some exercises to enhance students’ sight translation competence. It is recommended that sight translation be taught to final year students as a component of translation course to enhance the different skills combination. The study posits that students need to learn to translate intelligently, whether verbally or mentally, without literally reproducing their reference languages.