Three Teachers of Translation
Guests: Judy Wakabayashi, Susan Jones, and Lynne Riggs

Time: 9:30 a.m.–12:00 noon JST (main talk starts at 10:00; October 24 9:00 p.m. EDT)

Note: The meeting will not be available in video recording, but a detailed write-up with visuals will be prepared as soon as possible.

Three experienced teachers of translation will share their experiences and perspectives on teaching Japanese-to-English translation. The discussion will range widely over questions such as intake-level requirements; what competencies are taught; useful approaches to training; how to help students start thinking like a translator (including the role of translation theory); product vs process; the importance of and methods for feedback (from instructor and peers); the role of technology (as a translation tool and teaching tool); the end goal(s); and some useful resources and reading suggestions.

Judy Wakabayashi is professor of Japanese Translation at Kent State University in Ohio. After translating in-house and freelance, she received her Ph.D. from the University of Queensland and taught translation at the graduate level there until taking up her current position. She teaches the introductory MA-level courses in Japanese–English translation and translation theory as well as more specialized courses in scientific-technical-medical translation, legal and commercial translation, and literary and cultural translation, as well as a doctoral course in translation histories. Her textbook, Japanese-English Translation: An Advanced Guide (Routledge), has just been published.

Susan Jones is a professional translator and full-time instructor of translation at Kobe College. She completed the East Asian Studies MA program at Washington University in St. Louis in 1995, and she gradually moved from in-house and freelance translation to teaching over the past two decades. See the report of her talk to SWET in 2016.

Lynne E. Riggs is a professional translator and editor and former instructor of Japanese-to-English translation practice at International Christian University (2000–2015). Her anthology of articles on J-to-E translation, Readings on Japanese-to-English Translation, can be obtained by writing to info@swet.jp.