Longitudinal Study of Translators in Greater China

Abstract

Abstract:In Translation Studies, most of the empirical studies on translators in society rely on a cross-sectional methodology, which takes a snapshot of a population at one specific time. However, giving the evolving nature of translation work, translators would experience changes from time to time. Therefore, follow-up studies of translators are paramount because this approach allows Translation Studies researchers to explain the changes that translators may experience over time. This article presents findings from a longitudinal study which examines translators' possible changes in their occupation, visibility between clients and end-users, capital received and job-related happiness over a three-year period. The analysis is based on 92 Chinese translators in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 2009-2010 survey data (Wave 1) and 2012-14 survey data (Wave 2). It is found that freelance translators are less happy than other current translators. Some social variables such as age, level of education, region in which the translator lives, the translator's major field of study and the appearance of the translator's name on translations are found not related to their decision to leave the field. What are found to be significantly related include sex, years of translation experience, and time spent working on translation assignments. It is also found that the turnover rate for female translators is higher than that for male translators. In addition, those who abandon the work of translation are mostly inexperienced translators. Keywords: Longitudinal method; translators' visibility; translators' job-related happiness; translators in Greater China. Resumen: En Estudios de Traducción, la mayoría de los estudios empíricos sobre los traductores en la sociedad, se basan en una metodología transversal, la cual recoge una muestra de una población en un momento dado. Sin embargo, debido a la naturaleza evolutiva del trabajo de traducción, los traductores experimentan cambios temporales. En consecuencia, estudios que se planteen hacer un seguimiento de la trayectoria de los traductores son fundamentales, ya que este enfoque permite a los investigadores de Estudios de Traducción explicar los cambios que se producen en los traductores con el paso del tiempo. Es presente artículo recoge los resultados de un estudio longitudinal que examina los posibles cambios en los traductores debidos a su tipo de ocupación, visibilidad entre los clientes y usuarios finales, el capital obtenido y la satisfacción derivada de su trabajo, durante un periodo de tres años. El análisis se basa en los datos . Se ha descubierto que los traductores independientes están menos satisfechos que otros traductores en activo. Algunas variables sociológicas como la edad, el nivel de educación, la región en la que el traductor vive, el campo principal de especialización y el hecho de que aparezca el nombre del traductor en las traducciones no están relacionados con su decisión de abandonar esta profesión. Lo que sí resulta decisivo es el sexo, los años de experi...

Social representations theory: An approach to studying translators’ socio-cognitive processes

“…For the study of translators' conceptualizations of ST authors and TT readers, it might prove illuminating to investigate the changes in these social representations in longitudinal studies that follow certain individuals along their educational and professional trajectories. Such longitudinal studies seem rather rare in our field (Liu, 2017), and if studies do follow the same individuals, the study period does not necessarily extend beyond a few years (Kujamäki, 2019;Liu, 2017;see, however, Hansen, 2013). In a study on social representations regarding ST authors and TT readers, the study period would ideally extend from the beginning of translation students' education-which has been shown to be a formative time for at least some professional skills (Hansen, 2013)-well into their professional careers, potentially following changes in places of work, work communities, and job descriptions.…”