Translation and interpretation are intellectual activities that aim to bridge the gap between individuals and groups with different languages. The main goal of such activities is to bring people together that would otherwise remain strangers so they can communicate orally and in writing for multiple everyday and/or professional purposes. Thinking of translation and interpretation in widest sense, it can be seen that they not only happen when different languages come into contact, but rather on any occasion when individuals or groups with different backgrounds and/or lifestyles come into contact - even if they communicate in a common language. For example, the expression “economic crisis” has different means for different peoples not only worldwide but also in the United States.
We are now aware that translation and interpretation are preformed daily by many of us at different levels. As such, they quite spontaneously overflow the four walls of a classroom or the campus of a university, to find themselves at work in various settings. Extensive and intensive reflection on translation, interpretation, and services learning provide students with the professional tools needed to the most adequate translations and interpretations. Such work is based on deep linguistic, knowledge of the target audience (i.e. the Spanish translation of the source texts, as well as the interpretation of conversations), and their social, political, cultural, educational and linguistic uses. Both this knowledge base as well as the necessary related skills needed to be proficient will be achieved in the minor in Foundations in Spanish Translations via extensive practice, both in and outside of the classroom (internships and service learning contracts will be sought for students) as they pertain to professional fields, but, especially, to those of business, education, health, and law.
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