Browsing by Author "Mpemba, Titus"

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    Skills needed to interpret transcendental languages: The case of Bhasukuma spirit medium language mediation
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Mpemba, Titus
    The present paper examines linguistic and non-linguistic skills and competencies that are inherent and necessary in interpreting transcendental languages, in view of giving indigenous interpreting forms and sub-forms more visibility in the interpreting research landscape and discourse. As its theoretical underpinning, the paper is guided by ideas from postcoloniality and scriptocentrism. The data were obtained through observation of 24 spirit medium language mediation events and semi-structured interviews to 24 Bhasukuma spirit mediums and 24 mediators in Mwanza, Geita, Shinyanga and Simiyu administrative regions of the United Republic of Tanzania. Findings suggest that there are prior-to-mediation-process skills and during-mediation-process skills, which provide more support to the previous studies which found that mediation of transcendental languages is an aspect of interpreting. It is recommended that African scholars should take it as their prerogative to expose more African realities to the world to better peoples’ understanding.
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    Spirit medium language mediation: A neglected form of interpreting?
    (University of Namibia, 2017) Mpemba, Titus
    While the need for interpreting has been growing as can be evidenced by intensification of research on interpreting and establishment and expansion of interpreting institutions and course programmes worldwide, the interpreting research landscape has been devoid of insightful research on African indigenous forms of interpreting. Using the Bhasukuma1 spirit medium transcendental language mediation (henceforth TLM) as a case study, the present paper examines interpreting definitional criteria in a bid to make a comparison with TLM features and determine what the comparison may reveal with regard to the relationship between interpreting and TLM. To achieve this objective, the researcher used literature research to glean the criteria used by previous interpreting scholars to define the concept interpreting, after which the criteria were used as an observation schedule for fieldwork observations. Results indicate that TLM exhibits all of the criteria used in defining interpreting. The present paper, therefore, concludes that the Bhasukuma spirit medium TLM is an indigenous form of interpreting, to which people have not been exposed and recommends that African scholars should take the responsibility of educating and re-educating the world about their unknown realities to better the understanding of the same.
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    Translation: A belaboured term
    (University of Namibia, 2016) Mpemba, Titus
    Interpreting and translation are still positioned by some scholars under the broader discipline of linguistics as aspects of applied linguistics, while others view interpreting as a sub-discipline within the broader and generic discipline of translation studies. However, interpreting studies and translation studies have gradually become fields in their own right, thanks to the prominent individual and collective efforts of scholars to establish the two fields as subjects in academia. In the professionalization of these disciplines, terminologies have been created and attempts to define them made. Some terms have been extended to accommodate new meanings, the result of which has been burdening some of the terms. Within the framework of translation and interpreting studies, this paper analyses how the term translation has been burdened, in view of making some terminological proposals.