Report On Project Management Based On Translation Workshop

This thesis is a translation project report studying the conduct and management of a translation project, PUMA Lathe Instruction Manual of DAEWOO Heavy Industries, Ltd commissioned by a translation firm where the author served as the project manager.As regards the translation process,"four stages will be involved: analysis, transfer, restructuring and testing"(Nida&Taber,2004:33). But in most cases the first two are presented, namely information decoding and encoding. Information decoding mainly consists of the information analysis of the source language text. Information encoding is to transfer the original ideas to its target language. Thus, translating process is actually the code-transfer process of language inter-communication. Modern translation activities relying on teamwork has gradually replaced the traditional translation model as it is arduous for one or two translators to meet growing translation market needs. The modern translation service, combined with computer information technology and the internet, has gradually developed into an emerging discipline which achieves language decoding and encoding depending on close teamwork and efficient project management. However, the dozens of studies on translation project operating in workshop carried out over the past20years have mostly focused on theoretical arguments without translation project practice. In this article, by the combination of theory and practice, the author aims to launch an intensive research on the conduct of translation project from the perspective of project management to offer feasible suggestions in the operation of similar translation projects.The thesis composed of three chapters except the introduction and conclusion. In introduction, the author summarizes the translation workshop and project management, including the definition, features and influential factors. Chapter One introduces the project background, including the customer demands and main features of the source texts. Chapter Two summarizes the project process. This involves a detailed account of pre-translation preparation, translating process and post-translational processing. Chapter Three is a case study which involves a detailed analysis of typical problems in the project. There is also a detailed discussion of measures the author holds to solve the problem in the light of the project management approaches. Finally the conclusion part makes a summary of major content of the report and points out gains, insufficiencies and enlightenments to similar projects.This report will appear more practical than theoretical in that it endeavors to depict a translation project with plenty of practical details to demonstrate that translational decisions (general translational orientations on the one hand, and more specific translational strategies on the other) ultimately depends on the nature and the type of source text, and that the translator may resort to translation techniques to overcome difficulties in translation process.