On September 24, 2016, the first training for Language Big Data Alliance (LBDA) 2016 & language practice-based teaching was kicked off in Beijing. More than 70 teachers and students from China’s foreign language schools and MTI colleges have participated in the training.
Ms. Zhang Xiaodan is making remarks
On behalf of Global Tone Communication Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as GTC Tech), initiator of LBDA and organizer of this activity, Deputy General Manager of GTC Tech, Ms. Zhang Xiaodan delivered an opening address to welcome all the participants and gave a detailed introduction to this training.
According to Ms. Zhang, LBDA is jointly initiated by 21 institutions, of educational, business and public background. The Co-Chairs are Huang Youyi, Vice President of Translators Association of China, Chairman of China National Committee for MTI Education, Zhong Weihe, President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies(GDUFS) and Huang Song, General Manager of China Translation Corporation (hereinafter referred to as CTC). It serves as an open platform for multi-cooperation and resource sharing among governments, enterprises, colleges and universities, as well as research institutions, with the aim of providing support for activities such as teaching, practice, scientific research and business development with hundreds of millions of open corpus resources, technological resources, and platform resources, etc.
Ping Hong is lecturing
In the training class, Ping Hong, Professor of School of Interpreting & Translation Studies of GDUFS, explained in details the development of China’s translation programs and MTI education. With the experience of twice hosting National Qualification Assessment of MTI Education, Ping shared cases and suggestions for promoting the education quality of MTI talents. In the end, he answered questions from attendees about MTI education and translation learning.
In the training class
The teacher from Beijing International Studies University is posing a question
The teacher from China University of Political Science and Law is posing a question
Through explaining a number of living examples, Guan Juanjuan, Deputy Director of the News Center of China Radio International, shared how to tell Chinese stories in a precise and proper way. She explained the difference between translation and translation & editing. Combining with the features of mainstream foreign media in reporting Chinese events, Guan also analyzed skills of languages using, communicating and broadcasting. She believed that translation teaching is more than a language-related process; culture education is also an indispensable part.
The training courses continued on September 25.
Ms. Zhang Xiaodan introduced to the attendees both the current situation and the history of CTC, as well as key projects and products of GTC Tech, such as YeeCloud, YeeKit and YeeSight.
She said that China Key Words Net is a significant project of GTC Tech. Supported by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, it will become an important window for introducing China and making its culture go global. The first 5,000 Chinese terms will be translated and edited into eight foreign languages.
Luo Hongyan is lecturing
In the training class, Luo Hongyan, Senior Translation Reviewer, Director of Social, Scientific and Cultural Department of CTC introduced the major translation projects done by CTC in recent years. Through a number of vivid examples, she explained how “Faithfulness” as a translation criterion is followed differently in different types of texts, based on her rich experience in translation and review, as well as her acquaintance of issues such as Chinese foreign publicity and political correctness in translation.
Xu Yanan is lecturing
Xu Yanan, Former Director of the Department of Translation and Interpretation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Former Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Trinidad and Tobago, Director of Chinese Translation Service of Documentation Division of UN General Assembly and Conference Management, is one of the major pioneers of Chinese foreign communication and foreign affairs translation. She explained the concept of “Faithfulness” in document translation and which strategy should be adopted- “literal translation” or liberal translation“. Based on a number of living examples, she analyzed the methods of translating organization names, concepts, policies, items with Chinese characteristics and the similar foreign equivalents in governmental documents. Xu demonstrated a principle of translation: In terms of translation methods, both literal and liberal translation are indispensable, but translators should analyze the texts in accordance with specific circumstances instead of piling up equivalent words mechanically. The aim of translation is to deliver the message in a precious manner and build a bridge of communication.
Ambassador Xu is awarding certificates to the participants
After the training, Deputy General Manager Zhang Xiaodan hosted the closing ceremony. Ambassador Xu awarded the certificates signed by Co-Chair Huang Youyi, which will serve as a credential of MTI teaching training.
In the training class
LBDA will deepen cooperation with oversea colleges, universities and corporations, organize more international activities to facilitate the sharing of global language big data.