Translation as a Multimodal Negotiation Process

Abstract

The research presented in this paper aims to render more visible the negotiation process of beginners in German as a foreign language (level A1 and A2) at university, while they translate previously simplified texts from Italian into German using Google Translator. The study belongs in the field of classroom research focusing on the learner´s use of online resources during translating activities. The approach used for the empirical analysis is a multimodal method which is exemplified by analysis of a video sequence. The paper then discusses and evaluates the value of Google Translator as a teaching aid in foreign language classes.