Public invited to apply to four-week translation program

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University is offering a four-week summer program for those learning Arabic, Japanese or Russian who want to improve their translation skills while working on their language proficiency.

Review of applications to enroll in the Summer Translation Program will begin Tuesday, April 3, and continue until enrollment is full. International students are strongly encouraged to apply by April 2.

Enrollment is open to all college students; high school teachers, government officials and other professionals who rely on translation or foreign languages as part of their careers; and native speakers who want experience translating to English.

Organized by the Department of Foreign Languages, the program will run July 2-26 on the main WMU campus in Kalamazoo. Tuition ranges from $2,200 to $2,800 and includes cultural activities as well as access to library, fitness, recreation and other WMU services.

The Summer Translation Program consists of two courses: Translation Practicum, a three-credit-hour class that meets four days a week, and Theory and Business of Translation, a two-credit-hour class that meets two days a week. The courses will run concurrently and be supplemented by presentations from distinguished guest speakers.

"Translation is a critically important skill for the current global economy but relatively few people, even in established language programs, stop to think about how to develop that skill," says Dr. Jeffrey Angles, an associate professor of foreign languages who teaches the Japanese translation component of the Summer Translation Program.

Angles notes that the program combines theory, business and practice and already has attracted interest from potential students across the nation and beyond.

"Most modern language programs typically train students to function fluently within the target language. That makes a lot of sense since they are trying to get students to function as best they can within a culture, but translation--the moving back and forth between two languages and cultures--is a skill not typically developed in the classroom," he says. "Our Summer Translation Program helps students understand the process of trans-lingual, intercultural communication; helps them develop this skill; and shows them how to use it in their careers."

WMU's Department of Foreign Languages has a growing cadre of translation experts with a national and international reputation who will be leading components of the summer program.

• Angles, who leads the Japanese component, is director of WMU's Japanese language program and teaches courses in Japanese literature and translation studies. He has earned several national prizes and grants for his translations of Japanese literary works.
• Dr. Mustafa Mughazy, who leads the Arabic component, is an associate professor and teaches Arabic and linguistics. He is the author of "Dardasha: Introduction to Egyptian Arabic" and the editor of Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics.
• Dr. Dasha Nisula, who leads the Russian component, is a professor and teaches as well as advises WMU's Russian and world literature students. She is a longtime member of the American Literary Translators Association and has published two bilingual books of poetry.
• Dr. Molly Lynde-Recchia, who leads the translation theory and business component, is a professor and teaches French. She has authored two books and is currently involved in the translation of Old French poetry into English.

For more information about the Summer Translation Program and an online registration form, visit wmich.edu/languages/summertranslation. Direct questions to the Department of Foreign Languages at @email or (269) 387-6240.