I've been working on some A-level translations into English and thought I would add a variation to make it much harder for any students to resort to Google Translate or Deepl (another very good online translator). I've used the principle of parallel gapped translations for lower level students before, but not at advanced level. I think students would enjoy this and learn more about the subtleties of translation at this higher level.
So here is an example, using a text about the crisis in French prisons. (This relates to an AQA sub-theme, by the way.) First you will see the French version with gaps, then the English version with different gaps. Students must use the two together to solve the translation puzzle, as it were. I chose to gap whole phrases for the most part so that students have to bring syntactic and morphological skill to bear, not just vocabulary knowledge. I have also provided the two original versions on which the gapped versions are based. By the way, I used Deepl to help me do the translation into English, just to save time.
Apologies for any dodgy formatting as I copy in to Blogger from my Word text. Note that students may well produce acceptable alternatives to those given in my models.
FRENCH GAPPED VERSION
So here is an example, using a text about the crisis in French prisons. (This relates to an AQA sub-theme, by the way.) First you will see the French version with gaps, then the English version with different gaps. Students must use the two together to solve the translation puzzle, as it were. I chose to gap whole phrases for the most part so that students have to bring syntactic and morphological skill to bear, not just vocabulary knowledge. I have also provided the two original versions on which the gapped versions are based. By the way, I used Deepl to help me do the translation into English, just to save time.
Apologies for any dodgy formatting as I copy in to Blogger from my Word text. Note that students may well produce acceptable alternatives to those given in my models.
FRENCH GAPPED VERSION
La colère gronde dans les prisons françaises. Depuis
lundi 15 janvier, le personnel pénitentiaire _____________________ après
l’agression, notamment, d'un _______ à Vendin-le-Vieil. La ministre de la
justice a lancé en octobre 2017 cinq chantiers _____________________________________.
Car si les conditions de travail des surveillants se sont fortement __________,
cela va de pair avec les conditions de détention, qui ne font qu’empirer _______________.
À 54 ans, Éric Sniady, désormais militant à
l’Observatoire international des prisons (OIP), ____________________________________,
de Fresnes aux Baumettes en passant par la prison de Nice. Lui qui a fréquenté ___________________________
et vécu 54 transferts, connaît bien l’univers carcéral, dont il dénonce depuis
longtemps les dérives : "En prison, _________________________________ et
mes conditions de vie, je ____________________ comme un légume".
Entré en prison en 1978,
il a connu toute l’évolution __________________. "Aujourd’hui,
explique-t-il, la prison est le reflet de la société : _______________."
Éric Sniady a plutôt été épargné par le ____________________________, qui
conduit aujourd'hui certains à s'entasser plusieurs années à quatre _______________________.
Mais il garde des souvenirs cuisants de l’_____________. Le "luxe"
d’avoir la télévision dans sa cellule n’a jamais pu lui faire oublier que
"______________________ et d’excréments. ____ votre chien, vous ne le ________________________.
À Sequedin [Nord], les cours étaient ___________ de rats, à Fresnes, j’ai dormi
avec des _______________________". _____________ est à l’avenant,
immangeable.
Le déclin des prisons françaises ________________________.
Avant cela, les prisons comptaient encore __________________________________
derrière les barreaux. Les mesures de détention provisoire étaient ___________________
qu’aujourd’hui et les prisons étaient loin de la _______________. Mais, selon
lui, tout a bascule autour de 2000-2001. Les différentes réformes pénales
amènent ___________________________ et avec l’_____________ des peines, la
surpopulation carcérale ne ___________________". Certaines prisons
atteignent alors des taux d’occupation ___________ au double ________________.
ENGLISH GAPPED VERSION
_______________________________.
Since Monday 15th January, _______________ have increased the number
of blockades, _______________________ on a guard in Vendin-le-Vieil. In October
2017, __________________________ five projects to renovate the justice system
and relieve prison overcrowding, because ____________________________ have
deteriorated _________, so have prison conditions which __________________________
for 20 years.
At 54 years of
age, Éric Sniady, _______________ at the International Prison Observatory
(IOP), spent thirty years of his life in prison, _______________________ via
Nice. Having __________ some thirty institutions and __________________, knows
the prison world well, and ___________________ excesses: "In prison, I
decided to fight for my rights and __________________, I didn't want to _______________________".
____________________
1978 and has _________________________ of the prison system. "Today,"
he explains, "prison is _____________________: everything is going
downhill." Éric Sniady was ______________________ by the phenomenon of
overcrowding, which today leads some people _________________________________ of
less than 10m². But he __________________ of unhealthiness. The
"luxury" of _______________________ never ___________________ that "the mattress was stained with blood
and ___________. You wouldn't even let your dog sleep on it. In Sequedin [North],
the courtyards were infested with rats; in Fresnes, I _____ with bedbugs in the
mattress. The food is just __________.
________________________
dates back to the early 2000s. ____________________ even more empty cells in
prisons than there were prisoners _____________. Pre-trial detention was used ____
than today and prisons were _________ overcrowded. But, according to him,
everything changed around 2000-2001. _______________________ are bringing more
and more convicts into prison and with longer __________, _________________
continues to increase. Some _______________________________ almost double their
capacity.
FRENCH AND ENGLISH FULL MODEL VERSIONS
La colère gronde dans les prisons françaises. Depuis
lundi 15 janvier, le personnel pénitentiaire a multiplié les blocages après
l’agression, notamment, d'un gardien à Vendin-le-Vieil. La ministre de la
justice a lancé en octobre 2017 cinq chantiers pour rénover la justice et
désengorger les prisons. Car si les conditions de travail des surveillants se
sont fortement dégradées, cela va de pair avec les conditions de détention, qui
ne font qu’empirer depuis vingt ans.
À 54 ans, Éric Sniady, désormais militant à
l’Observatoire international des prisons (OIP), a passé trente ans de sa vie en
prison, de Fresnes aux Baumettes en passant par la prison de Nice. Lui qui a
fréquenté une trentaine d’établissements et vécu 54 transferts, connaît bien
l’univers carcéral, dont il dénonce depuis longtemps les dérives : "En
prison, j’ai décidé de me battre pour mes droits et mes conditions de vie, je
ne voulais pas sortir comme un légume".
Entré en prison en 1978,
il a connu toute l’évolution du système carcéral. "Aujourd’hui,
explique-t-il, la prison est le reflet de la société : tout se dégrade."
Éric Sniady a plutôt été épargné par le phénomène de surpopulation, qui conduit
aujourd'hui certains à s'entasser plusieurs années à quatre dans une cellule de
moins de 10m². Mais il garde des souvenirs cuisants de l’insalubrité. Le
"luxe" d’avoir la télévision dans sa cellule n’a jamais pu lui faire
oublier que "le matelas était taché de sang et d’excréments. Même votre
chien, vous ne le feriez pas dormir dessus. À Sequedin [Nord], les cours
étaient infestées de rats, à Fresnes, j’ai dormi avec des punaises dans le
matelas". La nourriture est à l’avenant, immangeable.
Le déclin des prisons françaises remonte au début des
années 2000. Avant cela, les prisons comptaient encore davantage de cellules
vides que de détenus derrière les barreaux. Les mesures de détention provisoire
étaient moins appliquées qu’aujourd’hui et les prisons étaient loin de la
surpopulation. Mais, selon lui, tout a bascule autour de 2000-2001. Les
différentes réformes pénales amènent de plus en plus [de condamnés] en prison
et avec l'allongement des peines, la surpopulation carcérale ne cesse
d’augmenter". Certaines prisons atteignent alors des taux d’occupation
quasiment au double de leur capacité.
Anger is
growing in French prisons. Since Monday 15th January, prison staff
have increased the number of blockades, particularly after the assault on a
guard in Vendin-le-Vieil. In October 2017, the Minister of Justice launched
five projects to renovate the justice system and relieve prison overcrowding,
because just as working conditions of prison guards have deteriorated sharply,
so have prison conditions which have just been getting worse for 20 years.
At 54 years of
age, Éric Sniady, now an activist at the International Prison Observatory
(IOP), spent thirty years of his life in prison, from Fresnes to Baumettes via
Nice. Having lived in some thirty institutions and experienced 54 transfers,
knows the prison world well, and has long criticised its excesses: "In
prison, I decided to fight for my rights and living conditions, I didn't want
to emerge like a vegetable".
He entered
prison in 1978 and has seen the entire evolution of the prison system.
"Today," he explains, "prison is a reflection of society:
everything is going downhill." Éric Sniady was on the whole spared by the
phenomenon of overcrowding, which today leads some people to live for several
years four to a cell of less than 10m². But he has vivid memories of unhealthiness.
The "luxury" of having a television in his cell never made him forget
that "the mattress was stained with blood and excrement. You wouldn't even
let your dog sleep on it. In Sequedin [North], the courtyards were infested
with rats; in Fresnes, I slept with bedbugs in the mattress. The food is just inedible.
The decline of
French prisons dates back to the early 2000s. Before that, there were even more
empty cells in prisons than there were prisoners behind bars. Pre-trial
detention was used less than today and prisons were far from overcrowded. But,
according to him, everything changed around 2000-2001. The various penal
reforms are bringing more and more [convicts] into prison and with longer
sentences, prison overcrowding continues to increase. Some prisons then reach
occupancy rates almost double their capacity.
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