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Article published In: Target
Vol. 18:2 (2006) ► pp.337–366

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The effect of translator training on interference and difficulty

 | Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Published online: 1 May 2007
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https://doi.org/10.1075/target.18.2.07mal
Twenty-two translation students translated two texts using Translog keystroke-monitoring software, once at the beginning of their studies and again three semesters later. Performance on two measures of interference, lexicalizable strings and false cognates, improved significantly among both the students working into L1 and those working into L2. Students working into L1 found the task as difficult after three semesters as they had at the beginning of their studies. For students translating into their L2, translation did get significantly easier as judged by the objective measures of time and keystrokes, but the students’ subjective assessment of difficulty and satisfaction was unchanged. This study also indicates that students appreciate the contribution of translation theory to practice.
Résumé
Vingt-deux étudiants en traduction ont traduit deux textes en se servant du logiciel Translog qui enregistre les frappes au clavier : une première fois au début de leurs études, et une seconde fois trois semestres plus tard. Les performances sur deux mesures d’interférences, à savoir les chaînes d’unités lexicales et les faux-amis, étaient nettement supérieures chez les étudiants travaillant en L1 et en L2. Les étudiants travaillant en L1 estimaient que la tâche demeurait aussi difficile après trois semaines qu’au départ. Quant aux étudiants traduisant en L2, la traduction devint plus aisée d’après les mesures objectives du temps et des frappes, cependant que la perception subjective des difficultés et du degré de satisfaction restait inchangée. Cette étude indique également que les étudiants apprécient la contribution de la théorie de la traduction à la pratique.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Interference
    • Lexicalization
    • False cognates
    • Difficulty
  • Method
  • Subjects
  • Materials
    • Source texts
    • Instructions
    • Post-task questionnaires
    • Translog software
  • Procedure
  • Data analysis
  • Findings
    • Guide to the tables
    • Experiment 1: Interference
    • Experiment 2: Difficulty
  • Discussion
    • Interference
    • Difficulty
    • Directionality
  • Implications for training and future directions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Appendices
    • Appendix A: Source texts
      • Education text
      • Fast Lane text
    • Appendix B: Sample post-task questionnaire
  • References
References (44)
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