Launch of Translation Challenge.

Translation students at Essex are to test their skills on a challenging real life commission in a competition run in partnership with an award-winning local company.

The University’s Department of Language and Linguistics has teamed up with TTC wetranslate Ltd from Chelmsford to hold Translation Challenge, which was launched on Wednesday 15 January. It involves the students working on a real commission from the English Cream Tea Company, who are a client of TTC wetranslate Ltd.

The competition, the first of its kind to be run by Language and Linguistics, will involve up to 80 students working in teams to translate an English Cream Tea Company marketing brochure, just as they would in a translation agency. Ignazia Posadinu, Director of the MA in Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling at the University, said: “It is vital that we prepare our students for the real world of work. To be working on real material, from an external client at industry level will be an invaluable experience for them.”

TTC wetranslate Ltd, winner of an Essex Business Excellence Award last year, is a company which has been translating for businesses, large and small, for over 20 years. Levent Yildizgoren, Managing Director, said: “I hope Translation Challenge will bring fresh new talent to the translating industry, which is why initiatives like this are important for us. It would be great if other universities and translation companies followed our lead and considered running similar events.”

The competition is open to Masters and final year translation students. The winning team will be announced at the University on Wednesday 19 February.

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact Vicky Passingham from the University of Essex Communications Office on 01206 872400 or email: vpass@essex.ac.uk.

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