La enseñanza de la traducción del árabe al español/catalán : especificidades y retos pedagógicos

Teaching Arabic-Spanish/Catalan translation requires from the trainer a certain theoretical thinking about the features that make this linguistic pair unique. Far from willing to dwell on the differences between the two linguistic and/or cultural systems in contact (since these differences exist, albeit in various levels, between any pair of languages), I analyze in this paper some of the main specificities of Arabic-Spanish/Catalan translation from a pedagogical perspective. In other words, considering its utility for Arabic translators training. On the basis of the work carried out during numerous years both as a translation lecturer and as translator from Arabic to Spanish and Catalan, I have come to isolate seven types of specific Arabic-Spanish/Catalan translation problems related to: (1) graphic and stylistic conventions; (2) documentation and use of dictionary; (3) lexical and morphological aspects; (4) textual cohesion; (5) cultural
elements; (6) text type, and (7) linguistic change. This taxonomy, and subsequent thinking, can be useful both for academic curriculum design and for creating new teaching material or focused exercises. In this regard, the notion of problem plays here not only an articulatory role, but it also allows a pedagogical thinking about the most effective methods to  develop students’ strategic knowledge when coping with specific barriers related to this pair of languages. Many examples will be provided for each of the categories proposed.