How can we
use translated content for
Teaching English Language and aspects of Malayalee Culture?
Introduction
"The twentieth century is the age of translation."
- Jumpelt (1984), Translation is vital in understanding
ideas from another culture,
and it is important that cultural considerations be integrated into the process of translating content. It is important to realize is that culture and language are interconnected. Culture factors into various things, from literacy to art, dialect and language, religion, ideologies and syntax. As we know, there are different forms of translation. In localization for example, the translators must consider the cultural differences, whether it is minor or major, even in neighbouring countries that could be very similar in many ways. We should note that even between groups and places, the cultural norms differ. Translating content requires putting a high level of importance to cultural considerations. As the world opens up, people realize the cultural differences that make each country unique. Each of them has a culture that developed for thousands of years, which means their customs, traditions and beliefs.
How can translated
Malayalam work be used for Teaching English language and aspects of
Malayalee
culture?
To examine how a translated Malayalam work can
be used for teaching English language and aspects of Malayalee culture, I have
chosen a popular Malayalam story by the renowned writer K.R Meera entitled ‘Aarachar’ which was translated to
English by J Devika as ‘Hangwoman’.The
story illustrates Indian culture of caste and religion. The story is centred
around the 22-year-old Chetna Gruddha Mullick, who belongs to a family of hangmen
with a professional legacy dating back to the 4th century BC. As fate turns
out, she inherits her father’s job and becomes the country’s first female executioner.
This made her an overnight celebrity and a symbol of feminism. Meanwhile, her father
forces her to marry Sanjeev Kumar Mitra, a television journalist, whom she
initially had a crush on and later detests to the core. He is a man of no morals
who can go to any lengths to catch hold of a profitable story for his channel. Amidst
this whirlpool of media frenzy, patriarchy and
chaos, Chetna frantically struggles to find her ground and not succumb to her oppressive father and crafty lover.
How aspects of Malayalee culture can be taught
from the
Translation ‘Hangwoman’:
The novel is filled with an immense number of stories of Gruddha Mullick ancestors. It is fine to learn a bit about their history. These historical stories, are interlinked with the present storyline. Also, the concept of a woman public executioner is alien to a typical Indian scenario. While teaching the translation, the students get an opportunity to understand about the profession of ‘executioner’ from the description ancestral history given in the story. The students can examine the place of women inside and outside their homes since the protagonist is a female executioner apart from being a wife. So basically, the learners can study about the profession of ‘female executioner’ and can realize that females aren’t mentally weak.
The translation ‘Hangwoman’ also helps students in better comprehending of the topic‘ feminism’. In Hangwoman, KR Meera portrays male domination at many levels. The story moves forward through the stream of consciousness of the main female protagonist of the novel, Chetana.K.R.Meera portrays the mental trauma of a twenty- two-year-old girl who is forced to be the first hangwoman of the country. Today in this post-modern era, woman, in general, is well aware of her rights. In spite of this awareness there exists a class of women who are yet to realize their potentials. Reading the translation work of ‘Aarachar’ would help out young females to affirm their role in the society.
The work also helps to learn more about Capital Punishment. Capital punishment, also called death penalty is the execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense. At this point the teacher can give an activity to conduct a debate on the relevance and need for Capital Punishment.
Language development through learning Translated
content:
Translating between languages can reveal their structural differences, as well as any similarities they may share such as vocabulary or word order. The translation method is ideal for helping Learners realize how different languages can convey a message in vastly different ways. Translation is fantastic at engaging ‘both parts’ of our brain; our native and target languages. It forces us to become accustomed to switching between our languages at a moment’s notice, which strengthens our linguistic abilities. For instance, from the story ‘Hangwoman’ learners gets new terminologies like ‘capital punishment’, ‘Death Sentence’, ‘Hangwoman’ etc… We should consider that the role of the translator is as a mediator between cultures. Rather than merely supplanting one form of words for another, the translator has the capacity to enhance our understanding of development issues and indigenous cultures by mediating ideas across cultural and national boundaries. ‘Aarachar’ translation has played a crucial role in bringing new learning and wider understanding to indigenous cultures of Kerala.
Some of the Merits, Limitations and Uses of using translation in Teaching of English are listed below:
Merits:
*The influence of the mother tongue is at a higher level;L1 shapes the thinking, and translation helps in better understanding.
*ranslation is a natural and necessary activity that is going on all the time, and that will always be needed.
*Language competence is a two-way system.The reality of language is another important aspect.
*Encourages thinking in one language and transference into another with interference.
*Deprives from learning within only one language.
*Gives false credence of word-to-word equivalence.
*Does not allow achievement of generally accepted teaching aims: emphasis on spoken fluency.
*Time-consuming activity.
*Not desirable, since it uses the mother tongue.
Usefulness:
*Invites speculation and discussion.
*Develops qualities that are essential to all language: accuracy, clarity and flexibility.
*The teacher can select material to illustrate particular aspects of language, and students can see the links between language usage and grammar.
*Allows students practice a variety of styles and registers.
Conclusion
Using translation is surely a natural and
obvious means of teaching someone a new language. It has got lots of good effects
.It can be used to aid learning, practice what has been learned, diagnose
problems, and test proficiency.In any case, teachers deeply ingrained in the people.
These differences are some of the things that make global translation
difficult. Translating content for the international market does not only
involve linguistic conversion of the content. It requires the translator to be sensitive
to various elements, with culture as one of the core areas that need careful
attention and consideration. Students can’t stop translating – it is such a
fundamental basis for language learning. In addition, it allows learners to
relate new knowledge to existing knowledge (as recommended by many learning
theories), promotes noticing and language awareness, and highlights the
differences and similarities between the new and existing language. Many people
also find the tackling of translation problems intellectually stimulating and
aesthetically satisfying. In addition, it helps create and maintain good relations
between teacher and student, facilitates
classroom management and control, and allows students to maintain their own sense
of first language identity, while also building a new bilingual identity. It does
not seem to impede efficient language use –many students who began their
studies through translation go on to become fluent and accurate users of the
new language.
Reference
Meera,K.R.Trans.J.Devika..India:Penguin,2014.Print
https://nookandabook.wordpress.com/2018/07/23/hangwoman/
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