Translation Studies
We conduct research into translation processes and define characteristics in various fields of translation.
«Translators are rarely in focus, but the results of their work inform and guide many aspects of our lives. They are wizards at quickly learning about new material, translating it so a new audience can understand it, and producing flawless texts in the process. We are interested in finding out how they manage all that.»
Prof. Dr. Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow, Professor of Translation Studies
Empirical and interdisciplinary research into the influences of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on the translation process, and thus on the quality of the product itself, is the focus of interest in the field of translation studies at the IUED. One area that we are exploring is differences between groups of varying competence levels and language versions. Characteristics of various translation fields, such as technical translation, audiovisual translation and website translation, are also central to our work and research.
Research
Alongside our focus on English-German and German-English, we also consider other language versions in our research projects. For us, translation is much more than just the transfer of a text from one language to another. The real circumstances in the professional field of translation – along with restrictive factors that arise due to technical language, multimodality, web suitability and customer requirements – are the basis of our research as well as of our teaching.
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The Ergonomics of Socio-Technical Systems and Reflective Practice
With increasing digitisation, purposeful reflection about the potential influence of current and foreseeable developments in socio-technical systems on cognition, meaning making and decision making in education and professional life has become ever more important. In the area of tertiary education, new technology ...
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Cognitive Load in Interpreting and Translation (CLINT)
English has become the first truly global lingua franca. Even in multilingual Switzerland, English as a lingua franca (ELF) is replacing the four Swiss languages not only in international but also in intra-national communication. What appears at first glance to be a practical solution to communication problems in ...
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Discourse analysis on Antibiotic Resistance (French linguistic usage)
Due to the increase in antimicrobial resistance in Switzerland and in the light of the health policy priorities "Health 2020", the Confederation has launched a national strategy against antibiotic resistance (StAR strategy) in cooperation with the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), Food Safety and Veterinary ...
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Energy discourses in Switzerland
Issues surrounding the production, supply, and use of energy will be of concern to Switzerland in the next few years and the decades to come. In the project “Energy discourses in Switzerland”, researchers in the ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics are investigating the communicative prerequisites for the anticipated ...
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Informed Consent and Comprehensibility Issues
Informed Consent and Comprehensibility Issues Research involving humans as subjects can be problematic from an ethical standpoint, because people’s welfare and personal sphere should be protected. For this reason, legislation regulates that potential participants must be informed about research procedures and any ...
Detailed information
Teaching
At both BA and MA level, we offer various modules in the area of translation studies. We also act as advisors for theses on the subject. Examples of modules that have been offered in the BA in Applied Languages (with a specialisation in Multimodal Communication) and in the MA in Applied Linguistics (with a specialisation in Professional Translation) are:
- Translation in context
- Translation theories
- Current questions in Translation Studies
- Extended translation competence
The modules offered vary from semester to semester and are published in the course directory.
Continuing education
In the area of continuing education, the CAS course in Translation for Translators and Interpreters has been run for several years now. Participants extend their translation competence and their knowledge of business, law and technology. They become more secure when dealing with specialist texts, and at the end of the course, they can use new tools to tap knowledge.
Publications
Translation Studies’ research findings are regularly published in scientific publications and presented at conferences.
Team
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Prof. Dr. Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow
Professor of Translation Studies
MA Applied ...
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Research associate and postdoctoral researcher in ...