TEACHING OF NON LITERARY TRANSLATION IN NIGERIA: A REAPPRAISAL

Abstract

This paper delves into a reappraisal of the curriculum for the teaching of translation in Nigeria with the aim of contributing towards the making of a more comprehensive and viable curriculum that responds to the need of the present day non-literary translator. Nigerian universities have over the years been producing academic translators and awarding them degrees even as high as the doctorate degree. During the course of training, no Nigerian University distinguishes from the training of a non-literary l and a literary translator, though their curricular have a bias for literary translation. Consequently many of their products end up as literary translators. The few courageous ones who delve into non-literary translation only do a shoddy job of it. To expose this lopsided curricular a reappraisal of the MA and PHD translation curricula of three National University Commission accredited Nigerian Federal institutions, selected from three geopolitical zones of the country were done. This research revealed that the major problem was that of the lopsided programmes run by the universities. Suggestions on how to improve the training of the non-literary translator were also proffered.