Translator Training Programmes Research Articles

Challenges of Translating Idiomatic Expressions: A Cross-Linguistic Analysis at a University in Hanoi, Vietnam

This study investigates the challenges students face when translating idiomatic expressions between English and Vietnamese and explores how linguistic and cultural factors influence the translation process. Utilizing a combination of translation task analysis and focus group discussions, the research reveals that students frequently rely on literal translations, resulting in inaccurate or nonsensical outcomes due to their inability to grasp the figurative meanings of idioms. Cultural mismatches, particularly the absence of equivalent expressions in Vietnamese, further complicate translation efforts, leading to significant misunderstandings. Additionally, linguistic barriers, such as syntactic differences between English and Vietnamese, hinder students' ability to produce natural and accurate translations of idiomatic expressions. The findings emphasize the critical role of cultural knowledge and syntactic flexibility in effective idiomatic translation. To address these challenges, the study recommends that translation training programs place greater emphasis on idiomatic understanding and cross-cultural competence. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on idiomatic translation by highlighting the interplay of linguistic and cultural factors and suggesting strategies to enhance translation accuracy.

Improve Two‐year Interpreter Training Programs for Educational Interpreters

Improve Two‐year Interpreter Training Programs for Educational Interpreters

Towards Integrating Emotional Intelligence in the Interpreter’s Toolkit: Emotions’ Management Training of Translation Graduate Students in KSA

Emotional Intelligence (henceforth, EI) is a critical but often an overlooked component in interpreter training, particularly in the context of Saudi Arabia (KSA) training curricula. This paper examines the integration of EI into the training toolkit for interpreters in KSA, focusing on the recognition and management of emotions. This study, conducted in a Saudi University, investigates the crucial role of EI in interpreter training. A mixed-method approach employing the EQ-i self-assessment, a self-developed questionnaire, and interviews with graduate interpreting students and trainers reveals a gap between the recognition of EI's importance and its actual integration into training programs. While the EQ-i data suggests a baseline level of EI in participants, current programs prioritize language proficiency over EI development. This disconnect necessitates a paradigm shift – a move towards an integrated training model that emphasizes both linguistic skills and crucial interpersonal skills like empathy, cultural competence, and stress management, all key aspects of EI. The study recommends faculty training on EI principles and integration methods, curriculum development with experiential learning activities, and collaboration with EI experts. The paper puts focus on the necessity for interpreter training programs in KSA universities in order to equip future interpreters with the comprehensive skill set to excel in their emotionally complex profession. Further research is necessary to explore culturally appropriate EI assessment tools and the long-term impact of such training on interpreter performance and career development.

On the Relationship Between University Translator Training Programs and the Translation Market Requirements: The Case of English Translation Graduates and Postgraduates of Imam Reza International University

The training of specialized human resources and the utilization of their expertise represent the primary concerns of universities and the higher education system. The efficacy of translator training programs has been increasingly scrutinized, with a particular emphasis on the explicit delineation of the link between their curricula and the market in which their graduates are ultimately employed. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the relationship between the university translator training programs at Imam Reza International University and the requirements of the translation market, with specific focus on the occupational status of translation graduates, and their attitudes towards the academic training, over the past 20 years. The study was mixed-methods with the online survey completed by 100 graduates by convenience sampling technique. Subsequently, through a snowballing approach, 23 graduates were selected for the semi-structured interview. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 27; then, the data of interviews were analyzed based on the grounded theory in MAXQDA version 2020. The findings suggest that the majority of graduates perceive themselves to be inadequately prepared to enter the workforce. This sentiment is attributed to the absence of practical coursework, including innovative translation techniques and marketing skills aligned with the demands of the contemporary translation industry. So, there is a need for greater interaction between training and the market. The findings also indicated that modern translation technology and updated resources are not used to meet the market’s need. Inviting employers and entrepreneurs to talk in the classes, holding specialized workshops, and having work placement components in the curriculum can be effective in creating a foundation for students' subsequent employment.

Charting the Trajectory of Corpus Translation Studies: Exploring Future Avenues for Advancement

Abstract This article delves into the trajectory of corpus translation studies (CTS) over the past two decades, summarizing key areas of existing research and identifying potential gaps and challenges within the field. The review encompasses various research areas, including translation universals, translator style, translation norms, and translation pedagogy. It acknowledges the valuable contributions made in these areas while also highlighting potential areas for improvement, such as the need to incorporate functional aspects in translator style research and align translation training programs with professional requirements. The review introduces (De Sutter, Gert, and Marie-Aude Lefer. 2020. “On the Need for a New Research Agenda for Corpus-Based Translation Studies: A Multi-Methodological, Multifactorial and Interdisciplinary Approach.” Perspectives 28 (1): 1–23) new research agenda for CTS, which advocates for multifactorial designs, methodological pluralism, and interdisciplinarity. This agenda facilitates two analysis modes: one utilizing corpus methods to examine translation products, and the other employing diverse methods to investigate products, processes, participants, and contexts in corpus-assisted translation practices. It is argued that these two analysis modes offer valuable guidance for future corpus-assisted translation studies.

Post-Editing a Google Translated Output: Experienced Translators vs. Trainees

The present empirical study reports on an experiment in which 20 participants (actual job applicants) were asked to post-edit a 394-word legal Google translated text (GTT) to investigate the type of post edits done in relation to the quality of the product as assessed by the recruitment test assessors in the translation service provider. For the purposes of the empirical research, participants were categorized in two groups; translators with practical experience between 3-5 years and trainees (recent translation graduates) with no practical experience. Assessors at the translation service provider used LISA QA model 3.1 version for quality assessment. The three factors investigated by assessors were time spent on the task, number and type of changes (post-edits) as well as the quality of the final post-edited text based on errors committed in the post-editing (PE). Results reveal a correlation between the type and number of edits done by participants and the quality of the final output and consequently a correlation between practical experience and the quality of the post-edited output. The research unveils some areas that need to be improved in the study plans at the translator training programs in Jordan, particularly in relation to PE efficiency. Results also imply that general experience in translation may not be enough to excel in post-editing specialized texts that require special knowledge in a given subject matter.

A Psycholinguistic Approach to Consecutive Interpretation: Identifying Problems Among Saudi Interpreters

The complexities associated with the interpretation process have raised considerable attention from researchers. The multifaceted nature of interpretation, which involves transferring meaning from one language to another in real time, presents a range of cognitive, linguistic, and practical challenges. This study comprehensively examines problems encountered by Saudi interpreters while performing consecutive interpretation. The analysis is grounded in Gile’s Effort Models (1995), which investigates the cognitive mechanisms underlying challenges across four phases: listening and understanding, note-taking, note-decoding, and expressing and reformulating. Using a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool, the study applies quantitative analysis to investigate the reported problems among 102 trainee and professional Saudi interpreters. The study reveals insights into the problems encountered by the participants during different phases of consecutive interpretation, such as note-taking, coherence maintenance, handling information density, managing nervousness, and ensuring memory reliability. These findings align with previous empirical studies in the field, emphasizing the importance of understanding the cognitive and practical difficulties inherent in the process of consecutive interpretation. Overall, this study contributes to the existing knowledge base on interpreter challenges while also highlighting the universal nature of these difficulties and the need for customized ongoing interpreter training programs.

Optimizing Post-Editing Strategies in Human-Computer Interaction

This investigation underscores the significant impact of PE strategy selection on both the cognitive and operational aspects of translation. Highlighting the critical role of PE skills development in translator education, the study proposes several avenues for further research, including broadening participant demographics, integrating diverse and mixed-methods approaches, keeping pace with technological advancements, and engaging in longitudinal studies. These insights offer valuable directions for refining PE methodologies, enhancing translator training programs, and ultimately, elevating the quality of translations.

Translation competence between industry and academia in Saudi Arabia: job descriptions vs students’ perceptions

ABSTRACT Given the constant changes in the translation job market, translator training (TT) programmes need ongoing adaptation to continue training students to meet market requirements. This study aimed to explore the extent to which undergraduates of Arabic/English TT programmes in Saudi Arabia (SA) perceive their ability to help students acquire knowledge and skills related to translation (sub)competences required in the Saudi translation market. To this end, two empirical studies were designed using a convergent parallel mixed methods approach. The first analysed 91 translation-related job descriptions published in SA during 2020 to identify the knowledge and skills required in the market. The second analysed the perceptions of final-year students of the Saudi undergraduate Arabic/English TT programmes regarding the extent to which their programmes helped them acquire these skills. The findings indicate the need to explore why students perceived programmes as ‘not effective enough’, as well as the need to propose ways to develop them. This study will contribute to improving Saudi undergraduate TT programmes to provide highly qualified, competent translators to satisfy current Saudi translation market demands.

Simplification for Efficiency: Development of Schema-Based Chinese-English Interpretation Training Programs

Due to the development of international trade and intercultural communication, interpretation is widely used as a necessary tool in some business occasions. The high demand for Chinese-English interpretation has also increased accordingly in recent years. Interpretation research has been built on the basis of multidisciplinary research, involving linguistics, psychology and sociology. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of the application of schema theory in teaching C-E interpretation. This study provides some evidence and interpreting examples of application of schema theory in terms of language schemas, formal schemas, and content schemas, as well as a three-stage workshop, namely preparation, training programs, and post-training enhancement, so as to shed light on some practical implications for interpreters, teachers and students. Effectively implementing of schema theory in C-E interpretation not only promotes oral output accuracy through words and information parsing, but also restructure information into an easier-perceived format, to solve the problem of vague oral expression. Therefore it is necessary for interpreters to clarify the content and characteristics of schema theory, receive systematic training, and proactively establish as well as activate as many schemas as possible to improve the efficiency and quality of C-E interpretation.

The acceptance of tablet for note-taking in consecutive interpreting in a classroom context: The students' perspectives

This study aims to examine interpreting students' perceptions of using tablets for interpreting note-taking (INT). A mixed-method approach was adopted, including quantitative methods based on Gile's two-phase effort model of consecutive interpreting (CI) to investigate respondents' experiences and perceptions, as well as qualitative methods to explore differences between professionals and beginners regarding their preferences and user experiences with note-taking tools. Additionally, factors within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework that significantly impacted the acceptance of tablet-based interpreting were analyzed. Our research findings reveal valuable insights into students' attitudes towards integrating technology into interpreter training programs while highlighting key factors influencing tablet-based note-taking adoption or rejection among participants. Moreover, this study emphasizes the importance of developing an application specifically designed for INT to meet the unique needs of interpreters and stresses that training plays an essential role in facilitating the adoption of tablet-based INT. Teachers are suggested to take the initiative to try tablet-based INT themselves before they make their decisions on whether to introduce the technology to their students.

Adapting to technological change: An investigation of translator training and the translation market in the Arab world

This study overviews the technology-related skills required by the translation market and the potential (mis)alignment between market needs and the skills developed in translator training programs in the Arab world. To this end, we collected and analyzed a corpus of 145 job ads for Arabic translation or localization services, seeking to spot market trends in the technology skills required. The study also collected and analyzed documentary evidence on translation programs in the Arab world to reveal the types of technology-related courses and the skills they foster. The findings reveal that computer-aided translation and software localization skills are increasingly required by the Arabic translation market. Moreover, the number of technology-related courses increased over time as training programs updated their offerings to meet current and expected future market demands. However, only a limited number of translation programs offer localization courses. This indicated a potential area of improvement. This study's insights should inform the development of translator training program courses to meet the job market's evolving needs.

Translation Competence in Translator Training Programs at Saudi Universities: Empirical Study

Translation Competence in Translator Training Programs at Saudi Universities: Empirical Study

Towards a Historical Approach to Translation in Translator Education

Academic programs across disciplines often require a foundational knowledge of history as an essential component for earning degrees in various areas of expertise. In the context of translation programs, the history of translation may either be offered as a distinct and separate course or integrated into practical translation courses. Since the 1980s, scholars in the field of translation have recognized the significance of historical research and have actively developed methods and theoretical approaches to establish this as a discipline in its own right. Presently, there is an abundance of material on the history of translation, accompanied by a concerted effort to construct a historiography specific to the field. Despite the vast array of bibliographic resources available, one notable lacuna in Translation Studies pertains to effectively introducing the historical dimension of translation to students who may grapple with comprehending this extensive body of theoretical knowledge and understanding the contribution of a historical approach to the act of translating. This article seeks to illuminate strategies for familiarizing students with the historical dimension of translation within the framework of a translation history course. The overarching aim is to underscore how translation history can contribute to students' development of a robust theoretical background on the translation phenomenon while enhancing their practical skills. Additionally, the paper explores the potential resistance students may harbour toward the perceived utility of a historical approach in addressing practical translation issues. Furthermore, the discussion delves into the role of Bibliographies of Translation Studies, which collate scholarly publications on translation, as comprehensive academic tools essential for systematizing existing yet often fragmented knowledge in this specific scientific domain. The research methodology employed is theoretical exploration, focusing on concepts such as history and historical research in translation, the objectives of a translation history course, and the design of course content along with methods for assessing student performance. The fundamental conclusion drawn is that the historical approach to translation is intricately connected to the act of translating, emphasizing the need to integrate translation history into translator training at higher education institutions. The recommendation is to offer translation history as a standalone course within translator training programs, featuring clearly defined goals and a strong orientation toward the practical aspects of translation. The envisioned objective of a "History of Translation" course is not only to address students' knowledge gaps but also to instill curiosity and research skills, fostering a lifelong learning mindset crucial for translation practice. Such an approach is anticipated to cultivate a "translation culture" among learners, contributing to the development of their self-awareness and enhancing their standing as professionals in the translation industry.

CATing the Way: Polish Translators and Computer-Assisted Translation Tools

This paper aims to establish a profile of Polish translators who apply CAT tools in their professional practice. The investigation identifies six primary categories, shedding light on the translators themselves, their experience, and interactions with specialised software. The first category delves into demographic data, analysing age groups and gender distribution among the users. The second category focuses on basic data encompassing the translators' experience with programs and their preferred foreign languages. The paper also explores the link between higher education and CAT tool proficiency, examining fields of study, educational institutions, specialised training, and opinions on the integration of this technology into academic curricula. In order to assess the non-academic aspects of learning and applying such software, it investigates the translators' engagement in training courses, certifications, and sources of qualifications improvement. Various methods for acquiring skills in CAT tools are also explored, such as online webinars and practical translation practice.The results reveal that the translators are rather experienced users of the software, they rely heavily on such programs, employing them in various types of translations, mostly non-literary texts. Translators perceive them positively, acknowledging their contribution to accelerating work processes and improving competitiveness in the translation market. The use of CAT tools is expected to increase, emphasising the need to incorporate these tools into translator training programs and adapt study plans to accommodate their further popularisation. The data was collected through an anonymous survey and provides insights into the preferences, habits, and perspectives of Polish translators using CAT tools. This paper serves as a foundation for further research and comparison with other translator groups, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the translator's profession in the context of translation technology utilisation.

The Multidimensional Analysis of the Translator Style in English Translations of The True Story of Ah Q

This research investigates the characteristics of the translator style in five English translations of The True Story of Ah Q, with particular attention paid to lexicons, syntax and overall text structure. The primary goal is to examine patterns between translation versions as well as identify subtle variances that exist among translation versions. By employing Multidimensional Analysis techniques, we delve deeper into the concept of Translator Style. Explore their choices and patterns across translation projects. Our findings illustrate elements that define a translator style at a level, such as syntactic structures and overall text composition in The True Story of Ah Q. This study emphasises the significance of translators and scholars of translation studies recognising how translator styles impact translated text. Further research should be undertaken to gain more insights into translator styles and their effects; furthermore, findings from such research could also be integrated into translation training programs to promote greater appreciation of translation as an art form.

Integrating post-editing into the subtitling classroom: what do subtitlers-to-be think?

In today’s professional landscapes, new technologies have altered media localization workflows as much as practitioners’ workstations and habits. A more comprehensive integration of automation tools, including (neural) machine translation systems, has been ushered in by the proliferation of cloud ecosystems. In a further technological drive in the production of subtitle projects, systems now integrate automatic speech recognition and can machine translate subtitles from pre-spotted templates. The rise of post-editors in media localization, specifically in subtitling, has been a reality for some time now, triggering the need for up-to-date training methods and academic curricula. It is against this backdrop that this article seeks to examine the perception of post-editing among trainees in subtitling. A total of four teaching experiences, conceived as practical experiments in interlingual subtitle post-editing (English into Spanish), involving postgraduate students from both Spain and the United Kingdom, are described here. The sample comprised 36 master’s-level students enrolled in translator training programmes that have a focus on audiovisual translation. A mixed-methods approach was adopted for this study; after each experience, the feedback collated through online questionnaires has proved paramount to understanding the participants’ opinions about post-editing in the subtitling classroom. Interestingly, most of the respondents believe that subtitle post-editing training should feature more prominently in translation curricula even though they have voiced their reluctance to undertake post-editing work professionally.

Performance and perception: machine translation post-editing in Chinese-English news translation by novice translators

Machine translation has become a popular option for news circulation, due to its speed, cost-effectiveness and improving quality. However, it still remains uncertain whether machine translation is effective in helping novice translators in news translation. To investigate the effectiveness of machine translation, this study conducted a Chinese-English news translation test to compare the performance and perception of translation learners in machine translation post-editing and manual translation. The findings suggest that it is challenging for machine translation to understand cultural and semantic nuances in the source language, and produce coherent structural translation in the target language. No significant quality difference was observed in post-editing and manual translation, though post-editing quality was found to be slightly better. Machine translation can help to reduce translation learners’ processing time and mental workload. Compared to manual translation, machine translation post-editing is considered as a preferred approach by translation learners in news translation. It is hoped that this study could cast light on the integration of machine translation into translator training programs.

Expertise differences in cognitive interpreting: A meta-analysis of eye tracking studies across four decades.

This meta-analytic research delves into the influence of expertise on cognitive interpreting, emphasizing time efficiency, accuracy, and cognitive effort, in alignment with prevailing expertise theories that link professional development and cognitive efficiency. The study assimilates empirical data from 18 eye-tracking studies conducted over the past four decades, encompassing a sample of 1581 interpreters. The objective is to elucidate the role of expertise in interpretative performance while tracing the evolution of these dynamics over time. Findings suggest that expert interpreters outperform novices in time efficiency and accuracy and exhibit lower cognitive effort, especially in sight and consecutive interpreting. This effect is particularly pronounced in the English-Chinese language pair and with the use of E-prime and Tobii eye-tracking systems. Further, fixation count and pupil size are essential metrics impacting cognitive effort. These findings have vital implications for interpreter training programs, suggesting a focus on expertise development to enhance efficiency and accuracy, reduce cognitive load, and emphasize the importance of sight interpreting as a foundational skill. The selection of technology and understanding of specific ocular metrics also emerged as essential for future research and practical applications in the interpreting industry. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Theory and Methods Linguistics > Cognitive.

Effects of executive functions on consecutive interpreting for Chinese-Japanese unbalanced bilinguals.

Previous research on performance in interpreting has focused primarily on the influence of interpreting experience on executive functions, such as shifting, updating, and inhibition. However, limited research has explored the effects of executive functions on performance. Understanding how different executive functions affect interpreting performance can provide valuable insights for teaching methods. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the effects of executive functions on comprehension and output performance during bidirectional consecutive interpreting between Chinese and Japanese. This study involved 48 Chinese advanced Japanese language learners. Self-assessment results indicated that all participants were unbalanced bilingual individuals. All participants took part in consecutive interpreting, completed comprehension tests, and underwent executive function tests. Executive functions were assessed using the color-shape switching task, 1-back task, and Stroop task. Analysis using Bayesian linear regression revealed the following. (1) Updating exhibited a significant impact on both Japanese-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-Japanese interpreting, indicating that higher updating ability was associated with better interpreting performance. (2) Inhibition showed a significant effect on Japanese-to-Chinese interpreting performance, whereas the effect was not significant in Chinese-to-Japanese interpreting. (3) No significant effects of shifting were observed in either Japanese-to-Chinese or Chinese-to-Japanese interpreting. The results indicate that executive functions have different effects on the interpreting performance of unbalanced bilinguals, while these effects are also influenced by the direction of the source language. Based on these findings, it is recommended that executive function training should be included in interpreter teaching and training programs, with a specific focus on the updating and inhibition functions.