Exploring English Specialization Students’ Theoretical Knowledge of Translation Methods

Abstract

The main concern of this study is to examine the theoretical knowledge of Third year and Fourth year English specialization students of Mandalay University of Foreign Languages by exploring  the translation methods commonly employed  in “The Choice”, the translation of the Myanmar Short Story, “Yway-Chal-Paing-Khwint” of Soe Hlaing Tint translated by Zaw Tun. The research methods used in this study are both qualitative and quantitative. The data for this study were collected from 48 Third year English specialization students and 61 Fourth year English specialization students from Mandalay University of Foreign Languages. The translation methods were investigated based on the theory of Newmark (1988). The research found that both Third year and Fourth year English specialization students were weak in the knowledge of semantic translation method and idiomatic translation methods because their study and practice of translation methods do not go beyond the classroom. They need to make more practice in the out- of-the- classroom situations. The translator used 5 out of 8 translation methods in the translation of the short story. The most frequently used translation method is semantic translation. It was found that using semantic translation method has a positive effect on the translation text because it can give the readers the aesthetic pleasure with the atmosphere of the original taste of the story.