Dr Melissa Pires Da Silva

Teaching Fellow in Modern Languages

Modern Languages

melissa.piresdasilva@abertawe.ac.uk

Siaradwr Cymraeg Sylfaenol

Dolenni Ymchwil

Trosolwg

Mae Dr Mélissa Pires Da Silva yn ymchwilydd ac yn athrawes mewn llenyddiaeth gymharol Ffrangeg ac Almaeneg, gan arbenigo mewn derbyniad clasurol mewn ysgrifennu Ewropeaidd modern. Mae ei hymchwil yn archwilio sut y caiff llenyddiaeth Roegaidd a Rhufeinig hynafol ei hailddehongli mewn testunau Ffrangeg ac Almaeneg, yn enwedig yng nghyd-destun meddwl deallusol rhyngrhyfel ac ôl-rhyfel. Ymhlith ei diddordebau ymchwil mae llenyddiaeth gymharol, astudiaethau cof, trawsffurfio llenyddol, a'r perthnasoedd rhwng llenyddiaeth, gwleidyddiaeth a chymdeithas.

Cwblhaodd ei PhD yn UCL ym mis Tachwedd 2025, gan archwilio'r gynrychiolaeth o'r teulu fel sefydliad gwleidyddol, cymdeithasol a diwylliannol yng ngweithiau Hermann Broch a Jean Giraudoux, gan ganolbwyntio ar eu derbyniadau priodol o'r epig Homerig a Fyrsilaidd. O Hydref 2025 i Hydref 2026, bu dan fentora'r Athro Julian Preece a chynhaliodd Gymrodoriaeth Ymchwil MHRA ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe, gan weithio ar yr argraffiad beirniadol sydd ar ddod o Masse und Macht gan Elias Canetti, gyda'r Athrawon Sven Hanuschek, Ulrich van Loyen ac Erhard Schüttpelz (gol.). Ym mis Hydref 2026, symudodd ymlaen i swydd Cymrawd Addysgu mewn Ieithoedd Modern yn Abertawe. Mae ei hymchwil yn cyfuno ymchwiliad archifol â derbyniad clasurol a chof diwylliannol, tra bod ei diddordebau ehangach yn cwmpasu llenyddiaeth Ffrangeg a Almaeneg yr ugeinfed ganrif a hanes deallusol Ewrop fodern.

Mae ei haddysgu'n cwmpasu Groeg Hynafol, Ffrangeg ac Almaeneg iaith a llenyddiaeth, yn ogystal â llenyddiaeth gymharol, beirniadaeth lenyddol a derbyniad clasurol. Mae hi wedi addysgu ar lefelau israddedig ac ôl-raddedig ar draws Ieithoedd Modern a'r Clasuron, gyda diddordeb penodol mewn dod â thestunau hynafol a modern i ddeialog trwy ddarllen agos a dulliau rhyngddisgyblaethol.

Uchafbwyntiau Gyrfa

Diddordebau Addysgu

Diddordebau addysgu: 2

• Groeg Hynafol iaith a llenyddiaeth

• Ffrangeg iaith a llenyddiaeth

• Almaeneg iaith a llenyddiaeth

• Llenyddiaeth gymharol a beirniadaeth lenyddol

• Astudiaethau derbyniad clasurol

• Llenyddiaeth Ewropeaidd a hanes deallusol yr ugeinfed ganrif

Ymchwil Prif Wobrau

Modiwlau a Addysgir

ML-204 Capital(ising) Culture: Reimagining the city

Cities have always been centres of culture and power. They are dynamic settings which are ever-changing and evolving yet carry traces of the past which can be made visible in art. They have been crucibles of modernity across the western world, marked by technological innovation, migration, war and civil unrest, and socio-economic hegemony. Large conurbations and capital cities can become representative of their countries or nations, making their study a gateway to understanding the wider culture. Via this module, you will study the intersections of history and the built urban environment as articulated in a selection of films, short fiction, plays, reportage, paintings or music which have been inspired by cities such as Berlin, Paris, and Barcelona amongst others.
MLF270A Intermediate French 1

If you¿ve studied Beginners French 1 and 2, this module is your next step toward becoming a more confident and fluent speaker as you continue your university journey. You¿ll continue to build your vocabulary and strengthen your understanding of grammar, while developing your ability to communicate in everyday situations and explore topics relevant to life in French-speaking countries at intermediate level. The focus is on real-world communication, whether you're discussing current events, exploring French-speaking cultures, or preparing for professional contexts. Through weekly classes, you¿ll practise speaking, listening, reading, and writing in a supportive and engaging environment. Lessons are taught mainly in French to help you immerse yourself in the language. Outside the classroom, you¿ll be encouraged to keep learning through regular independent study, so you can make steady progress throughout the term.
MLF330A French General Language 3A

This module is the culmination of advanced level study of French which will equip students with the skills needed to communicate orally and in writing at a near-native level. This module aims to consolidate and extend the language skills developed by students from the beginners and advanced language pathways. It concentrates on developing clarity, fluency, organisation, structure and accuracy in written and spoken French, establishing a firm understanding of the finer points of the language relating to grammar and discourse, and extending students¿ vocabulary to read, write, and speak about issues related to contemporary francophone society and culture. Classes are mainly conducted in French. It is typically taken in conjunction with MLF330B. There is also a Welsh- medium version of this module: MLF330AW.
MLT208 Theory and Practice of Translation

The question of how to evaluate a translation has occupied linguists since antiquity. In this module, some of the main issues from the rich history of this discussion will be presented. For example, one of the oldest issues is to what extent equivalence in translation can be achieved. An example of a more modern question is: what is the right unit of translation (why not word-for-word?, what type of larger units?). We will also consider cultural and philosophical aspects of translation, the impact of technology on translation and the question to what extent the translator is (and should be) visible or invisible.
MLT209 Community Interpreting

Community Interpreting is a broad term that includes Public Service Interpreting (PSI) but also covers informal or semi-formal settings within the community. Typical contexts where community interpreting takes place include local community events, cultural gatherings, and grassroots advocacy. It emphasizes accessibility and inclusion for minority language speakers and typically involves cultural mediation and relationship-building. Whilst it can be less formal than PSI, it still requires professionalism and adherence to ethical standards. In this module you will learn techniques and develop strategies for performing dialogue interpreting between parties who do not speak each other's language. There will typically be a mixture of short interactive lectures on relevant aspects of interpreting theory and practice, to complement live bilingual and multilingual scenarios, and language laboratory practical sessions.
MLT330 Interpreting - Local Government Option

This module will develop strategies and techniques to perform sight translation and dialogue (or bilateral consecutive) interpreting in the context of Local Government, covering a selection of topics in the areas of council services, social services, environmental health, and education. There will be lectures/workshops on voice confidence, note-taking, and ethics, and practical sessions (live sessions and language laboratory sessions using the latest technology) to enhance your learning. A range of materials will be made available on Canvas to practice the different modes of interpreting in your own time. This module will also prepare you for the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting, examined by the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIoL). This is optional and takes place in June every year (registration by February; CIoL fee applies).
MLTM07 Healthcare Interpreting

Healthcare interpreting plays an essential role in facilitating communication between healthcare providers and patients who speak different languages or have limited proficiency in the language used by the provider, thus ensuring that all patients have access to the medical information and services they need. Healthcare interpreters work in various settings, including doctor¿s offices, hospitals, clinics, and mental health facilities, and they require a sound knowledge of medical terminology in both languages, as well as a good understanding of cultural differences that might affect communication in order to interpret accurately and in a culturally appropriate way. In this module you will develop strategies and techniques to perform simultaneous whispering interpreting and dialogue interpreting (including some telephone interpreting, plus an opportunity to try sight translation) in the domain of healthcare. There will be a mixture of interactive lectures on interpreting theory, ethics, and practice, together with live and language laboratory practice sessions on the topic of various conditions and diseases.
MLTM25 Conference Interpreting

This module will help students develop strategies and techniques to perform Conference Interpreting in Consecutive as well as Simultaneous modalities, with a focus on the latter. It involves the advanced development of multilingual skills, as well as interpersonal/intercultural communication skills (active listening, memory retention, time lag, anticipation, reformulation, delivery). Students will typically be exposed to authentic talks, lectures, conference papers, debates and speeches delivered by United Nations delegates, European Parliamentarians, TED.com Presenters, the UK's Political Speech Archive, BBC World programmes, YouTube, The Why Channel, and other countries' politicians, lecturers and experts in various fields. The contexts would typically include current affairs and topics of political, sociocultural, economic, scientific, technological and environmental impact in both cultures and their corresponding terminologies. Students will also be encouraged to research and read parallel texts for confidence building knowledge expansion and glossary creation. Training will take place in a fully-equipped Interpreting Suite (delegate units and booths). Successful candidates will be well prepared to apply for placement opportunities at the European Commission Directorate-General for Interpretation and/or The Internship Programme at the United Nations Offices either in Geneva or in New York. Students will be expected to do extensive guided private study, which should include exercises, e.g. mental agility exercises, bi-directional clozing, numerical contextualization and simplification tasks, reformulation and improvisation exercises, as well as tasks for mnemonic activation (to activate and automatize linguistic reflexes through the use of synonyms, antonyms, definitions, paraphrasing, hypernyms etc.).

Dr Melissa Pires Da Silva

Cyfeiriad ebost

Welsh language proficiency

Dolenni Ymchwil

Trosolwg

Uchafbwyntiau Gyrfa

Modiwlau a Addysgir

ML-204 Capital(ising) Culture: Reimagining the city

MLF270A Intermediate French 1

MLF330A French General Language 3A

MLT208 Theory and Practice of Translation

MLT209 Community Interpreting

MLT330 Interpreting - Local Government Option

MLTM07 Healthcare Interpreting

MLTM25 Conference Interpreting