Uncertainty and Uncertainty Management in EFL Translators

Document Type: Research Paper

Authors

Department of English, Quchan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Quchan, Iran

Abstract

This study tried to examine EFL translators’ uncertainty and uncertainty management strategies through employing think aloud procedures. The participants of this study were some MA andBA translators selected from several universities in Iran. To this aim, a proficiency test was firstly administered among the volunteers. Then, think aloud protocol and retrospective interview were used to collect data. Meanwhile, Angelone coding system was used to categorize the data. To identify the significance of differences, chi-square nonparametric test was utilized. The findings indicated that MA translators had greater tendency to show uncertainty at larger chunks of language such as collocation and sentence, while BA ones were more inclined to show uncertainty in textual level. At the same time, behavioral and locus options were compared and contrasted between MA andBA translators. It was also found out that look-up and rereading strategies were frequently used to manage uncertainty. The findings of this study can be helpful for translators to improve their translation ability by being more aware of what is happening inside their minds. Awareness of a stockpile of strategies helps them have fewer difficulties while translating a text.

Keywords

References

Albir, A. H., &Alves, F. (2008).Translation as a Cognitive Activity. In J. Munday, Routledge companion to translation studies (pp. 54-73). New York: Routledge.

Amirian, Z., &Baghiat, M. (2013). Uncertainty and Uncertainty Management: the Metacognitive State of Problem-Solving of Professional (experienced) Translators and Students of Translation Studies.IJ-ELTS: International Journal of English Language &Translation Studies, 1(2), 223-242.

Angelone, E. (2010). Uncertainty, uncertainty management and metacognitive problem solving In the translation task.Translation and Cognition. 17-40. doi: 10.1075/ata.xv.03ang

Asadi, P., &Seguinot, C. (2005).Shortcuts, Strategies and General Patterns in a Process Study Journa, 50(2), 522-547.

Balliu, Ch., Froelier, N., &Hewson, L. (2014).Zone of uncertainty in translation.Traductologie De champ, 6, 1-3.

Bernardini, S. (2001). Think –aloud protocols in translation research. Target International Journal of Translation Studies, 13(2), 241-263. doi: 10.1075/ target. 13. 2.03ber.

Dimitrova, E. (2005). Expertise and explicitation in the translation process. Stockholm University: John Benjamin.

Cambridge IELTS Test (Version 6, 2007). Cambridge IELTS 6 examination papers. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Malpas, J., “Donald Davidson”, The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (2012 Ed.), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2012/entries/davidson/>.

Eftekhari, A., &Aminizadeh, Sh. (2012). Investigating the use of thinking aloud protocols in translation of literary texts. Theory and practice in language studies, 2 (5), 1039-1047.Doi: 10.4304/tpls.2.5.1039-1047.

Fraser, J. (2000). What do real translators do? Developing the use of TAPs form professional translators. In S. Tirkkonen-Condit & R. Jasskelaineen, Tapping and mapping the processes of translation (pp. 111-121). Amsterdam: JohnBenjamins.

Gopferich, S., &Jaaskelainen, R.(2009). Process research into the development of translation competition: where are we, and where do we need to go? Across Languages and Cultures, 10(2), 169-191. Doi:10.1556/Acr.10.2009.2.1.

Green, A. (1998). Verbal protocol analysis in language testing research: A handbook, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Hansen, G. (2003). Controlling the process: theoretical and methodological reflections on research into translation process. In F. Alves, In triangulating translation (pp. 25-42). Amesterdam: John Benjamins.

Hodgson, R.,&Soukup, P. (1997).Communicating the bible through multimedia. Retrieved fromhttp://books.google.com/books?isbnz1556129688.

Jakobsen, A. L. (2002). Translation drafting by professional translators and by translation studies. In G. Hansen (Ed.), Empirical translation studies: Process and product(pp. 191-204). Copenhagen: Samfundslitteratur.

Krings, H.P. (1986). Translation problems and translation strategies of advanced German learners of French. In J. House, & S. Blum-Kulka (Eds.), Interlingual and intercultural communication (pp. 263-75). Tubingen: Gunter Narr.

Kussmaul, P., &Tirkkonen- Condit, S. (1995). Think-aloud protocol analysis in translation studies. Traduction, Terminologie, Rédaction, 8(1), 177-199. doi: 10.7202/037201ar.

Lorscher, W. (2005).Investigating translation competence: conceptual and Methodological issues. Meta, 50 (2), 609-619.

Mengelkamp, M. B. (2008). Assessment of metacognitive skills by means of instruction to think aloud and reflect when prompted. Does the verbalization method affect learning? Metacognition and Learning,3, 39-58.

O’Brion, S. (2011). Cognitive exploration of translation. London: Continuum.

Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Boston, MA: Heinle.

PACTE(2003).Building a Translation Competence Model.InAlves, F. (Ed.).Triangulating translation: Perspectives in process oriented research (pp.43-66). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Siren, S.,&Hakkarainen, K. (2002).Expertise in translation.Across Languages and Cultures, 3(1), 71-82.

Shreve, E. A. (2011). Uncertainty management: metacognitive bundling in problem solving and translation quality. In S. O’Brion(Ed.), Cognitive exploration of translation (pp. 108-129). New York: Continuum.

Shreve, G. (2002). Knowing translation: Cognitive and experiential aspects of translation expertise from the perspective of expertise studies. In A. Riccardi(Ed.), Translation studies: Perspectives on an emerging discipline (pp. 150-171). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Shreve, G. (2006). The deliberate practice: Translation and expertise. Journal of Translation Studies, 9, 27-42.

Shreve, G. M., &Angelone, E. (2010).Translation and cognition. New York: Benjamin.

Tirkkonen-Condit, S. (2000). Uncertainty in translation processes. In S. Tirkkonen-

Condit & R. Jääskeläinen (Eds.), Tapping and mapping the processes of translation and interpreting (pp. 123–142). Amsterdam and Philadelphia: Benjamins.

Tirkkonen-Condit, S. (2005). The Monitor Model Revisited: Evidence from Process Research. Journal des Traducteurs / Meta: Translators' Journal, 50 (2), 405-414.

Yanyan, Zh. (2010). Investigation the role of metacognitive knowledge in English writhing. HKBU Papers in Applied Language Studies, 14, 25-46.

Zhou,Y., &Lin, Y. (2012).Prob into Translation Process Based on Think-aloud Protocols. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2 (7), 1376-1386. doi: 10.4304/tpls.2.7.1376-1386.

Journal of English Language Pedagogy and Practice

Volume 7, Issue 14
Winter and Spring 2014
Pages 120-145

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics