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Abstract

Eleven years have now passed since the first issue of the journal MonTI saw the light of day in the year 2009. That first emblematic issue, entitled A (Self-) Critical Perspective of Translation Theories, impeccably edited by Professor África Vidal Claramonte and Professor Javier Franco Aixelá, was born with a strong will to become an international benchmark in its own right in the field of Translation and Interpreting studies. In fact, as we speak, the editors of the present issue find ourselves here at the University of Virginia with the very first issue of MonTI in our hands. And, as incredible as it may seem, we did not bring it here from Spain or from Italy. Rather, we found it here, without even looking for it, not in Alderman Library, where, as in the majority of major university libraries in the United States, one can find the unexpected. Surprisingly, and what pleases us to no end, is that the original issue of MonTI was occupying a central spot on one of the shelves filled with books in the office of Joel Rini, Professor of Spanish Linguistics and Philology here at the University of Virginia, who most kindly loaned it to us.The enthusiastic words of Franco Aixelá (2009:33-34), found in the initial pages of this first issue of the journal, clearly reflected the aforementioned will of MonTI becoming a benchmark of utmost quality in our discipline:In our case, we have attempted to create a journal on the basis of a clear identity, as well as to give it visibility through a special concern for quality.It is an aspiration still to be achieved, but we can guarantee that there will be no lack of enthusiasm and commitment to meet these aims. To be more specific, the essential characteristics that will define our journal are: internationalism, plurality, rigor and internal democracy. Internationalism in our journal will rest on three pillars: multilingualism, electronic publication and accessibility (Franco Aixelá 2009: 9-10) (Our italics).Well then, after all these years, since these words were written, here we are, in a prestigious American university, thousands of kilometers from the Valencian Community, and we can truly affirm that this aspiration to become an international benchmark with "a special concern for quality" is already a goal achieved, as MonTI currently ranks among the scientific journals of our field with the highest quality rates.