What is the difference between a translation major and an English major?

At present, there are many overlapping parts of the translation major and foreign language major in domestic schools, and the curriculum is very arbitrary. As the name suggests, the translation major is to cultivate professional translation talents, and the foreign language major is a comprehensive foreign language teaching and research, and some schools also offer translation directions under the foreign language major.

The core curriculum of the translation major should be translation theory and practice, and there should also be courses related to bilingual foundation and cultural background. Pure foreign language majors mainly focus on the teaching and research of a foreign Chinese language and the study of the language, literature and culture of the mother tongue country.

Translation majors at the master's level are generally offered under a certain foreign language major, such as literature, linguistics, and translation under English majors. At present, the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China has set up a Master of Translation and Interpreting, abbreviated as MTI in English.

The training aims to cultivate senior translators with professional translation and interpretation skills, and the teaching content highlights the training of interpretation and translation skills, focusing on cultivating students' practical translation skills, and taking into account the cultivation of translation theory and cross-cultural communication ability.

At present, it seems that only the English language master's degree is trained, and there are two training directions: translation and interpretation.

The difference between the translation major and the English major is mainly reflected in the different training objectives, emphases and core courses.

First, the training objectives are different:

1) English Major:

Students majoring in English mainly learn the basic theoretical knowledge of English linguistics, literature, history, politics, economy, diplomacy and social culture of English-speaking countries, receive good skills training in English listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation, master certain scientific research methods, and have the professional level of translation, research, teaching and management, as well as high comprehensive quality ability.

2) Translation Major:

Cultivate application-oriented talents with a solid language foundation, extensive cultural knowledge, skilled interpretation and translation skills, and be competent in translation work in foreign affairs, commerce and trade, science and technology, culture, education and other departments, and provide excellent students for master's and doctoral education in translation.

Second, the focus is different:

1) English Major:

English majors focus on spoken English. Students majoring in English mainly learn the basic theories and basic knowledge of English language, literature, history, politics, economy, diplomacy, social and cultural aspects, receive good skills training in English listening, speaking, reading, writing, translation, etc., master certain scientific research methods, and have the professional level and good quality and strong ability to engage in translation, research, teaching and management.

2) Translation Major:

The translation profession focuses on the written language. Translation is the process of transforming a relatively unfamiliar expression into a relatively familiar one. Its content includes translations of language, words, graphics, and symbols. It is an important means to enhance the development of people's social exchanges.

3. The main courses are different:

1) English Major:

English Intensive Reading, English Extensive Reading, English Listening, English Grammar, English Speaking, English Writing, Comprehensive English, Advanced English, English Translation, English Interpretation, Introduction to Linguistics, English and American Literature, English Country Overview.

2) Translation Major:

The courses in the translation section mainly include English-Chinese translation skills, Chinese-English translation skills, literary translation, business translation, scientific and technological translation, legal translation, tourism translation, news translation, computer-aided translation, etc., and the courses in the interpretation section mainly include audio-visual translation, accompanying interpretation, government affairs interpretation, business interpretation, introduction to simultaneous interpretation, etc., as well as other professional elective courses closely related to translation ability.

There are some differences between translation majors and English majors in terms of curriculum setting, training goals, and employment directions. Here are the differences between them:

Curriculum: The English major mainly involves the study and research of English language, literature, history, politics, economics, diplomacy and social culture. The translation major, on the other hand, pays more attention to the training of language translation and interpreting skills, involving language translation, interpreting skills and translation theory.

Training Objectives: The English major aims to cultivate students with a solid foundation in English language and high comprehensive quality, and be able to engage in various English-related careers, such as education, research, translation, management, etc. The translation major pays more attention to cultivating students' translation skills and interpreting ability, so that they can be competent in translation work in foreign affairs, commerce, science and technology, culture, education and other departments.

Career direction: Graduates majoring in English can be engaged in interpretation, translation, and management in the fields of foreign-related institutions, foreign-funded enterprises, journalism, education, etc. Graduates of the translation major are more focused on working in the field of translation, including literature, culture, business, science and technology, medicine, etc.

To sum up, although both translation majors and English majors involve the study and application of English, their curriculum settings, training goals, and employment directions are different. The choice of major depends on the individual's interests and career plans.