以放聲思考法探討高低成就學生的英文翻譯策略與錯誤

國內英文翻譯教學的實徵研究愈來愈多，但多集中在學生的翻譯成品（translation product）上，而對於翻譯過程（translation process）的了解始終不足。最大原因在於翻譯是種心智認知活動，不易從學生的翻譯行為直接觀察，通常必須透過放聲思考法（think-aloud protocol）來探索翻譯過程的認知思維和策略使用。這類研究在國外已有相當豐富的文獻（如Bonowicz, Hehir, Kaimi & Li, 2004; Kojima & Lee, 2005; Kiraly, 1995; Küzli, 2009等），只可惜在國內仍非常少見（如Liao, 2007）。為增進對台灣學生學習翻譯歷程的理解，我們需要更多的教學實徵資料，尤其是其翻譯策略使用和翻譯錯誤型態與翻譯成就之間的關係值得深入探討，可藉以瞭解不同翻譯成就的學生使用翻譯策略的傾向和常犯的翻譯錯誤，並作為教師教學上的參考借鏡。因此本研究以北部某大學大三與大四學生共38人為研究對象，研究材料為三篇不同題材的英譯中作業，學生必須以錄音裝置錄下自己翻譯過程中的所思所感以及如何解決翻譯上的問題。研究者收回所有翻譯作業和錄音檔後，首先批改學生的翻譯作業，接著將錄音檔轉謄寫為文字稿，取得學生翻譯成品和過程的紀錄。接下來研究者依據學生翻譯成績區分為高成就組10人和低成就組10人（中間成就者18人的表現不列入分析），檢視這兩組學生在翻譯策略和錯誤上有何異同和傾向。而為彌補某些同學在放聲思考時所呈現的資訊不足或有疑義之處，研究者也同時採回溯訪談（retrospective interview）進一步釐清學生在翻譯當時的想法和採取某種譯法的理由，以期達到質性研究中三角檢證（triangulation）的要求。研究所得結果希望有助於翻譯教師了解不同成就學生在英譯中時的策略使用及常犯錯誤，以有效提升翻譯教學成效。

關鍵字

翻譯策略；翻譯錯誤；放聲思考

並列摘要

An increasing number of empirical studies on translation pedagogy in Taiwan have been riveted on student’s translation products, but there has been a lack of research pertaining to perceptions in the process of translation. Translation is a cognitive process which cannot be easily observed among students’ translation behaviors; however, this particular mental process may be explored through the ”think-aloud protocol” provided by the students. Extensive academic research on translation process using think-aloud protocol is available, (e.g. Bonowicz, Hehir, Kaimi & Li, 2004; Kojima & Lee, 2005; Kiraly, 1995; Küzli, 2009) but very little similar research has been done in Taiwan (e.g. Liao, 2007). In order to enhance our understanding in translation strategies adopted by the students and the common mistakes they made in translation, it is imperative to have an in-depth analysis on their translation process. Thirty eight junior and senior college students from a university in northern Taiwan had been selected as a sample in the current study. The students were asked to verbally report problems they encountered and how they solved the problems during translation as they translated assigned English articles into Chinese in three different topic areas. Upon collecting the verbal reports from sample students, the researcher corrected students’ translations and transcribed their TAP recordings. This allows the researcher to obtain empirical data of the translation product and process for further analysis. The top ten and the last ten ranking students in the sample were selected. The sample students with average scores in between were not included in the analysis. A qualitative analysis was done on the respective translation strategies and the errors committed by the two selected groups. Where the think-aloud protocol failed to garner information from the students, the researcher conducted a retrospective interview to further clarify the students’ thoughts during the translation process and the strategy adopted which in turn allows the researcher to achieve the triangulation of research. The results of the research are expected to improve teaching effectiveness by helping instructors to better understand the translation strategies and common mistakes made by students with different levels of achievement in translation.