From left: Jane Malyon, of The English Cream Tea Company, Xin Zhao, Die Hu, Levent Yildizgoren, Managing Director of TTC wetranslate Ltd, Ignazia Posadinu from the University, Joseph Di Trolio and Gabriella Di Tommaso.

Translation students at Essex successfully put their language skills to the test as part of a challenging real-life commission competition run in partnership with an award-winning local company.

The University’s Department of Language and Linguistics teamed up with TTC wetranslate Ltd from Chelmsford to stage the Translation Challenge, which involved students working on a real commission from the English Cream Tea Company, who are a client of TTC wetranslate Ltd.

As part of the challenge, which was the first of its kind run by the University, students worked 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: “When we accepted the Translation Challenge, we really hoped to bring a glimpse of the translation world into the University. We wanted to see students meeting the challenges of the working world, working in teams, competing for quality and delivering on time the best possible translation work. It worked. Students loved it and we look forward to repeating the experience next year.”

Levent Yildizgoren, Managing Director of TTC wetranslate Ltd, which won an Essex Business Excellence Award last year, said: “The Translation Challenge has proved to be a great success. We thoroughly enjoyed being part of this challenge. It was so encouraging to see so many motivated and excited translation students have such a passion for languages. This is very promising for our industry's future and also a good example of how universities and translation companies can collaborate together.”

One of the winning students Joseph Di Trolio said: “This was an amazing opportunity to put into practice everything we have learnt this year and tackle a real-world translation. It was vital to work as a team, bringing together cultural knowledge in order to interpret challenging words and terms whilst, at the same time, preserving style and tone.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

For photos of the competition winners please visit:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/universityofessex/sets/72157641454167993

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