An innovative translation pedagogy: Audio description, art translation, and knowledge transfer

This study explores an innovative translation pedagogy that integrates audio description training, art translation practice, and real-life knowledge transfer opportunity. Audio description, as a form of inter-semiotic translation, deals with two different codes (Perego, 2016). It translates visual semiotic signs into acoustic verbal signs and requires considerable skills. Art translation involves historical and cultural studies of translation sources. The participants of this study were undergraduates studying translation and interpretation at a university in Hong Kong. They received audio description training in a series of workshops and researched archival documents of a historical lighthouse to complete the bilingual art translation tasks. Subsequent to the training and research, the students were given an opportunity to apply the knowledge of art translation and the acquired audio description skills in a public exhibition on the lighthouse heritage with the visually impaired audience. This innovative translation pedagogy was well received by the students, as reflected in their evaluations.