A SOLIHULL student has been commended in a prestigious translation competition.
Violet Brocklehurst has received a commendation at the Midlands Regional Prize in the Anthea Bell Translation Competition.
There were over 22,000 entries from over 300 schools in the competition, which is run by Queen’s College, University of Oxford.
The competition presents learners with the opportunity to translate texts at four different age levels from French, Welsh, German, Spanish and Mandarin into English.
Violet is currently in her first year of studying A level German, English Literature and Fine Art at Solihull Sixth Form College and worked in the German category of the competition.
She translated a passage from ‘Kurz vor dem Rand’ by Eva Rottman. This text was written in a diary form and described Ari meeting up with her friends at a skate park, when a new boy, Tom, shows up.
Violet said: “I decided to take part in this competition, because I wanted to challenge and to prove to myself that I have the ability to do well if I really push myself.
“Although I am hoping to pursue a degree in English, I do not want to completely discontinue my German, as I strongly believe that learning a second language is very important.
“Not only do languages remove the language barrier, but they also allow you to fully immerse yourself in and truly appreciate other people’s cultures, and shows a willingness to learn. Whilst being fluent in a second language is highly impressive, even learning basic phrases can go a long way.”
German Teacher, Jane Weatherup, added: “We are delighted for Violet and congratulate her on her success. It was great to see her pushing herself with this challenge and it will stand Violet in good stead when it comes to making higher education applications.”
