Phoebe West has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the Excellence in Translation Award for the MS in Translation & Interpreting. Regarding her graduating semester, Phoebe says, “It felt like such a luxury to have a full semester to focus on analyzing a source text and perfecting the translation. I had a wonderful experience being able to discuss translation choices with my advisor, Professor Sandra Smith, who gave very thoughtful, detailed feedback.”
Phoebe's thesis advisor Sandra Smith praises with Phoebe's work ethic, stating, "Phoebe West was a pleasure to teach, both in my Contrastive Stylistics course and as her thesis supervisor. She was always conscientious and hard-working with a clear aptitude for translation. I was very proud of her achieving 100% on her thesis. I am confident Phoebe will be very successful in any future endeavor she chooses.”
Phoebe’s thesis project was a highlight in her time here. “I really enjoyed the courses in literary translation and I had recently become interested in culinary translation, so I wanted to combine both of those interests for my thesis project. After looking at recently published culinary writing, I found French celebrity chef Cyril Lignac’s memoir that also contained recipes. Professor Smith, my thesis advisor, suggested that I translate 1000 words per week. Breaking it up into manageable sections helped me notice and correct inconsistencies or errors in the translated text. I prepared for the thesis defense by reviewing the translation and identifying any areas where I might be asked about choices I had made.”