The Occupational Status of Translators and Interpreters in Turkey: Perceptions of Professionals and Translation Students

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of professional translators/interpreters and undergraduate translation students enrolled at a state university in Turkey about the occupational status of the translation profession, the curricula of translator-training programmes, and the challenges of translators/interpreters. The participants were 24 translation and interpreting department students enrolled in the Department of Translation and Interpreting at a state university located in southern Turkey and 12 professional translators and interpreters working in various cities in Turkey. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face and online with the students and an online survey administered to the professional translators and interpreters. Through the lens of professional translators/interpreters and translation students, the study explored a tacit consensus over the status of translators, indicating that translation is perceived as a low-status occupation. By comparing the responses of the professionals and students, this study underscored the cardinal importance of translation students’ specialisation during the course of the undergraduate degree. Based on these findings, this study portrays a more inclusive picture of the translation and interpreting curricula of undergraduate programmes in Turkey and the perceived status of translators/interpreters. The study also presents the participants’ views about how to raise the status of translators in society. In line with the results, the study also provided suggestions regarding the undergraduate translation and interpreting education as well as the potential solutions to improve the status of translators and interpreters.