Since every human being needs food to exist, it is natural students in translation studies programs to be interested in the subject.That’s because it is a subject that is familiar to all nationalities and cultures. Whatever the language he or she speaks, everyone who needs to translate, from beginning students to professionals fluent in English, have certain beliefs related to the subject. That is because all of us have feelings about food. While it is an important part of our lives, it also plays an important role in celebrations that can include national holidays, religious celebrations, birthday parties, wedding receptions, and the entertaining of friends and neighbors.
All translation students and professionals have opinions about food and just about everything related to it. While Russian Translation Professionals enjoy talking about their blini, German Translation workers boast about their sausage, while Medical Translation workers just tell us to consume healthy food. Besides, every translator worker has his or her own preference as regards a particular style of food such as fast food, junk food, cafeteria food, ethnic food, restaurant food, and the snacks you buy to munch at a movie theater. Moreover, we all have our own preferences regarding the spices and side dishes we usually consume our food with.
In our series of articles titled, The Russian Translation Is Ready, food is the focal point of our activities. While the subject is confined to food, our instructional activities relating to language studies are quite varied. In one article we might be providing a quick lesson on verbs, the next for something on vocabulary, and the next for a writing topic. Sometimes only a word game will be added-something that will make students pay attention to the languages they study.
Many of the activities included in our series of articles encourage the game spirit and creativity. The reason is that in my opinion language games have a crucial role in building language skills. Students need to be initiated in the strange, enchanting and powerful world of the words. The task of English teachers is to get kids involved in language. Play has power.
This series of articles was my idea, however, I am not the only major contributor to it. What I did was only a small part of the effort that went into making it possible. Sarah Von Seggern, a German Translation worker and Michael Antipov, a Russian Translation professional, worked alongside me and assisted in so many ways—writing, proofreading, fact-checking, you name it. Here I have to mention and to thank to Pedro Moreno, a Spanish Translation professional, who also lend assistance to me in many ways. I believe you will find Translation Is Ready interesting and useful in your translation teachings.
What stories about food are discussed in your classroom? Do you discuss a time when you were unsuccessful in preparing a special meal? Do you relish remembering the great homemade ravioli of your great-grandmother? Did something funny happen to a family member in a restaurant? Do you make jokes about the food made by a relative which all of you hated because of its awful taste?
In the first assignment, we encourage you to write about a story relating to food. Talk to classmates, friends and instructors if you need some help thinking of one. If you still find it difficult, share any kind of memory you have relating to food - maybe a special meal, or a special occasion.
