Précis-writing as a form of speed training for translation students

Translators are required to work under time pressure, and employers seek graduates who can integrate seamlessly into the professional work environment. However, conventional translator training does not emphasize speed training. Translation is a complex activity with a high cognitive load. This paper explores the introduction of speed training using monolingual text summarization exercises where translation students are encouraged to sharpen their decision-making skills without having to deal with language transfer. Because précis-writing skills have particular relevance for translator training, a ten-week experiment was designed around a series of exercises where 21 students in the third year of a BA in Translation program had to summarize texts on a very short deadline. The resulting summaries were analyzed and feedback was provided. Students’ progress was charted over the course of the semester, and they were surveyed about their experience at three different points – beginning, middle and end – during the experiment. Results suggest that it is possible to beneficially incorporate some form of speed training into the broader translation curriculum with a view to helping students to acquire the types of transversal skills sought after by employers. Moreover, these speed training exercises can serve to reinforce other aspects of the translation curriculum.