A COGNITIVE APPROACH TO TRANSLATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Abstract
Translation has been a cornerstone of language instruction for centuries. In the nineteenth century, translation functioned as a primary teaching technique within the grammar-translation tradition. However, the twentieth century saw a radical methodological shift, as translation was often excluded from language classrooms due to the belief that eliminating the mother tongue (L1) from the learning environment would facilitate second or foreign language (L2) acquisition. The emergence of the Cognitive Approach marks a unique “renaissance”. Drawing on insights from Cognitive Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology, this perspective reframes the mother tongue not as an obstacle, but as a cognitive scaffold and mental tool that supports the development of communicative competence and deeper processing of a new language. The Pluralistic Approach emphasizes the cognitive and communicative interplay between languages and views translation as a sophisticated mediatory tool that bridges linguistic and cultural gaps. This paper argues that, when approached from a cognitive perspective and applied purposefully, translation serves as an effective pedagogical tool. It supports deeper cognitive processing, facilitates cross-linguistic awareness, and enhances communicative competence in foreign language learning.