Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Age. In Defence of a Minimalist Approach

Abstract

Since the 1970s the notion of “translation competence” has been viewed as at least 1) a mode of bilingualism, open to linguistic analysis, 2) a question of market demands, given to extreme historical and social change, 3) a multicomponent competence, involving sets of skills that are linguistic, cultural, technological and professional, and 4) a “supercompetence” that would somehow stand above the rest. The general trend among theorists has been to expand the multicomponent model so as to bring new skills and proficiencies into the field of translator training. This trend may be expected to continue with the increasing use of electronic tools. Here it is argued, however, that the multicomponential expansions of competence are partly grounded in institutional interests and are conceptually flawed in that they will always be one or two steps behind market demands. On the other hand, a simple minimalist concept of translation competence, based on the production then elimination of alternatives, can help orient translator training in times of rapid technological and professional change.

Translation Skill-Sets in a Machine-Translation Age

“…As I predicted some years ago (finding inspiration in Wilss), the multicomponential models are forever condemned to lag behind both technology and the market (Pym 2003 is providing everything in the target language. It no doubt helps to consult the foreign language in cases of doubt, but it is now by no means necessary to do this as a constant and obligatory activity (we need some research on this).…”

“…I have suggested elsewhere that we should not be spending a lot of time modeling a multicomponential competence (Pym 2003). It is quite enough to identify the cognitive process of translating as a particular kind of expertise, and to make that the centerpiece of whatever we are trying to do, be it in professional practice or the training of professionals.…”

“…Too often, however, it is being used to name each and every level of all those things, both with and without a developmental aspect (for which expertise is proving to be a superior concept anyway). For further discontent with the term, see Pym (2003;2011a). 2.…”

La formación de traductores en Traducción Automática

“…Formación en competencias y resultados de aprendizaje para la traducción automática Tal como apunta Kelly (2005, 28-41) el debate sobre la formación en competencias no está exento de cierta controversia porque ocurre que el término se utiliza de manera diferente, en función de la perspectiva que se adopte: bien se trata de un proceso cognitivo sobre la actividad traslativa, o de un enfoque empírico que asimila las competencias a las demandas del sector profesional o, por último, de un planteamiento educativo para el diseño curricular. El debate se origina, de hecho, con las primeras definiciones que encontramos en Wilss (1976), Delisle (1980) y Nord (1991, continuando con Pym (1992Pym ( , 2003, Gile (1995), Hatim y Mason (1997) y Neubert (2000. Son relevantes, asimismo, las contribuciones del grupo PACTE (2008) con los estudios empíricos sobre la aplicación en la práctica de los modelos de competencias así como las propuestas de Kelly (2007) competencias, Pym identifica toda una serie de subcompetencias que abren la puerta a esa necesidad de pensar en la tecnología como en algo más que el "artefacto" del que hablaba al principio.…”

Mobile apps and translation crowdsourcing: the next frontier in the evolution of translation

“…It still conjures images of a computer with a mouse and keyboard, one or two screens and Internet access. However, it is now morphing in some specific cases into a smartphone or tablet that can potentially become a "minimal and ubiquitous" translator's workstation for professionals, who are defined here as those who make a living from translation (Pym, 2003). In this context, the goal of this paper is to analyze the novel ways in which smartphones and their apps have helped foster the creation of new translation scenarios, both in how translations are requested and distributed around the world, as well as how they are produced.…”