TraTra summer school introduces teens to translation
European Commission's language official organises free four-day summer school
A translation programme in Malta aims to teach teenagers the basics of translation by harnessing their bilingualism.
TraTra, organised by the European Commission’s language office in Malta, is a four-day course aimed at students who have just finished their first or second year of sixth form.
Through talks by experienced translators in EU, literary, poetic and audiovisual translation, as well as exercises and individual translation practice, it aims to introduce young people to the world of translation and some skills and techniques that are used in the field.
“Translation forces us to be read more attentively and critically, and to reflect on what we write, to make sure we get our message across. These skills transcend translation and are valuable at the workplace, in our studies, and in our lives as citizens,” said David Schembri, the programme’s coordinator.
The programme first took place in September 2023, attracting students from across Malta and Gozo. The participants appreciated being able to discuss issues around language and translation in a setting other than the classroom - and finding like-minded people to have these discussions with.
TraTra is a local initiative of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation, which translates roughly 2.5 million pages yearly to and from the European Union’s 24 official languages. It is part of the European Day of Languages programme, which promotes the continent’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage.
The summer school will be held at Europe House in Valletta between July 8-11 from 10am to 3pm, and is open to teenagers born between 2006 and 2008. Participants must have at least an “O” Level of Maltese and English. The programme is free of charge. For more information and to register, please visit the programme's website.