Procedures for assessing the acquisition of cultural competence in translator training

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to present different procedures (instruments and tasks) for assessing the acquisition of cultural competence in translator training. First, we outline the basis of competence assessment in translator training, advocating a dynamic, multidimensional, criteria-based approach to assessment and explaining the need to use a wide variety of assessment tasks and instruments. Second, we define the concepts of culture and cultural competence and set out different proposals, before breaking cultural competence down into four sub-competences (cultural knowledge, cultural knowledge acquisition abilities, culture-related contrastive abilities, and attitudinal sub-competence) and specifying their respective components, which can be used as indicators for assessment purposes. Lastly, we put forward various procedures for assessing the acquisition of cultural competence. We organise these procedures on the basis of nine instruments, such as translation reports, catalogues of cultural references, translation process recordings and cultural portfolios. For each instrument we describe possible assessment tasks, identify assessable aspects, and state which sub-competences of cultural competence it can be used to assess.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural competence
• assessment procedures
• competence-based training
• translator training

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. See Hurtado Albir (2007, 2008) for further information on CBT and its application to translation teaching.

2. Hurtado Albir (2007, 2008) proposes six categories of specific competences for translator training (methodological and strategic; linguistic-contrastive; extralinguistic; occupational; instrumental; and translation problem-solving competences), which represent the first operationalisation of PACTE’s TC model (PACTE 2003).

3. As far as we are aware, Pym’s (1992) minimalist model and Risku’s (1998) modular conception of TC are the only two exceptions.

4. Olalla-Soler (2015; forthcoming) is carrying out experimental research on cultural competence acquisition with a view to validating the model proposed here.

5. The PICT (2012) website includes eight tasks for assessing the acquisition of intercultural competence. http://www.pictllp.eu/en/assessment-material