“I KNOW THAT I AM NO GOOD”: AN ANALYSIS INTO THE TRANSLATION ERRORS OF PRE-SERVICE EFL TEACHERS

Abstract

Translation from source language (L1) to target language (L2) and/or vice versa plays an important role for language learners since they tend to use translation in order to understand and interpret the language utterances. Perspectives towards the use of translation in foreign language teaching and learning process have changed over the time.  As the learners are not native speakers of L2, they are likely to utter some structurally or semantically deviant forms of language. For this reason, conducting an error analysis procedure might be of crucial importance in understanding which domains of language are erroneous for language learners in order to fix the problems and improve language proficiency. In Turkey, English Language Teaching bachelor degree programs include the translation course where student-teachers are supposed to handle translations from L1 to L2 and L2 to L1.  In this study, the translation assignments of 30 pre-service EFL teachers were investigated through document analysis and findings point out that the errors fall into structural, lexical and translational/interpretational categories. Finally, the pedagogical implications were drawn in relation to the field.