中英翻譯與英文寫作能力

Abstract

本文的主要目的探討討中英翻譯考題在英文寫作能力鑑定上的適用性，並希望經由此項探討，帶動國內新的一波翻譯與外語教學的研究風氣。翻譯在外語教學界的地 位雖然在溝通式教學法興起後嚴重被貶，然而許多測驗仍以翻譯作為評量外語能力的手段，翻譯和外語教學音地裡仍如影隨形。近年來由於企業全球化興起，翻譯愈 形重要，也帶動了翻譯科技的進步。字典及翻譯電子工具的普及，使外語學習進入另一種型態，學者必須重新思考翻譯在外語教學上的地位及利用方式。有研究指 出，翻譯考題的確可以測出考生的外語能力。本文則進而探討翻譯與造句及作文的不同，希望能找出翻跡題型的特有潛力，並進一步思考可能的翻譯題目類型，以及 翻譯考題的評分方式。最後，本文簡單的提及翻譯在外語教學上的回流效應問題，並指出研究翻譯考題及翻譯教學的重要性。

The aim of this article is to explore the suitability of using translation as a means for testing English writing ability, hoping to open a new page of discussion not eh use of translation in foreign language instruction in a general sense. Although translation was largely abandoned as a means for teaching a foreign language with the advent of communicative language teaching, it has never ceased being active in the foreign language testing domain. In more recent years, globalization brought about necessity to localize commercial documents, and translation as a profession is enjoying an unexpected boom. The fast advance in translation technologies is a direct result. Dictionaries and automatic translation software are becoming more powerful and keenly sought after by foreign language learners. Translation is gradually reclaiming its place in foreign language instruction. This article advances the idea that translation is a viable way for testing foreign language proficiency. It also points out how translation tests differ from similar tests like composition and sentence making. Several types of translation questions are proposed, and the evaluation methods discussed. While concentrating on the usability of translation in foreign language testing, the ultimate aim of the article is to call for more discussion on the use of translation in foreign language teaching.