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Translator Competence in Second Foreign Language Teaching: Acquisition of Intercultural Competence

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Mediating Specialized Knowledge and L2 Abilities

Abstract

This chapter explores the use of second foreign language teaching (FLT henceforth) to develop intercultural competence in the curriculum of translation and interpreting studies. We present a diachronic study of teaching approaches which supports the elaboration of an integrative task-based approach to FLT syllabus design aimed at fostering intercultural competence. Effective language learning paths with a modulated degree of complexity are presented to the student to favour the autopoiesis processes that are necessary for translator competence emergence, focusing especially on the intercultural domain. A series of communicative, collaborative activities, contextualized by authentic cultural audiovisual materials and texts, favours emergence of the competences required to carry out the final task successfully. This task, translation and subtitling of a short video clip, offers a motivating and professionally relevant scenario and fosters emergence of students’ language and translation competences, notably intercultural competence. Both FLT and translator training benefit from this FLT competence-based pedagogical model, as it ensures acquisition of communicative and target language competences while enhancing translator competence, especially symbolic and intercultural competence.

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González Fernández, L. (2021). Translator Competence in Second Foreign Language Teaching: Acquisition of Intercultural Competence. In: Escobar, L., Ibáñez Moreno, A. (eds) Mediating Specialized Knowledge and L2 Abilities. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87476-6_3

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