Just a matter of scope

Mental load is an important construct in reading, writing, bilingualism, and multitasking research. It is also an implicit concept in most accounts of both translators’ mental processes and expertise, where it is often related to controlled and automated processes, which are interrelated. TPR projects tend to equate problem solving with controlled processing, but problem solving is not fully conscious or analytic and TPR should consider many other factors and the translation event as a whole. On the other hand, automated processes seem to comprise several phenomena, such as the optimization of the bilingual mental lexicon, the proceduralization of translation routines, and the development of translation-specific monitoring and evaluative processes and coping tactics. Many of the coping tactics translators develop are epistemic actions that deserve further study. Focusing on mental load in TPR may foster both theoretical and empirical efforts and also establish a bridge with interpreting research.