Current PhD Students – Frances Richardson
Translation – PhD students
School of Arts, Translation
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP
Email: 206773@swansea.ac.uk
Working title
The development of non-standard forms of French in Cameroon and their impact upon the work of the translator. Supervisors
Prof Andrew Rothwell and Prof Nikki Cooper Start date
October 2008 (part time)
My Research
My research centres on the different forms of popular French which have developed in French-speaking Cameroon against a background of an official policy of bilingualism and the existence of more than 250 indigenous languages. I hope to determine how and why the different forms of popular French have developed and by analysing their lexis, morphology, grammatical structure and semantic changes I hope to arrive at a methodology which will facilitate the translation of these forms. I shall consider the current state of translation of non-standard forms of French and make comparisons with vernaculars in other parts of the world, for example African-American Vernacular English. Drawing on current translation theory, I shall analyse the problems which the translator can expect to encounter when working in this field and the strategies which will be necessary to resolve them.
Publications
Translation of Amina, by Bertille Atiogue, CLE Publications, Yaoundé (2008)
My Teaching
I have taught level I and level 3 French at Swansea.
My background
I took my BA at the University of Wales Aberystwyth followed by an MA in French Literature at Sussex University. My dissertation was on Imagery in the Novels of François Mauriac. I then obtained a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and entered the teaching profession. After many years in the teaching profession, mainly in Further Education, I decided it was time for a career change as I wished to develop my interest in translation. Consequently I joined the MATLT course at Swansea.
I continue to work as an external and visiting examiner in A level French, marking language and literature scripts, moderating course work and conducting oral examinations. I work as a freelance translator, specialising in French property law documents and oenology, and also as a copy-editor and proof reader for a technical writer. I have translated the work of Bertille Atiogue and we currently have a collection of short stories with a publisher. I have worked as a legal interpreter for a local firm of solicitors.
Last modified 5 March 2009
