Competence levels in translation: working towards a European framework

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the research project the PACTE group is carrying out on ‘Establishing Competence Levels in the Acquisition of Translation Competence in Written Translation’. A continuation of PACTE’s previous experimental research on translation competence and its acquisition, the project aims to propose level descriptors as a first step towards developing a common European framework of reference for translation’s academic and professional arenas, both of which are represented among its participants. The project is organized into three stages, the first of which involved the production of a first level descriptor proposal, including a three-level scale with sub-levels and five descriptive categories (language competence; cultural, world knowledge and thematic competence; instrumental competence; translation service provision competence; and translation problem solving competence). In the second stage, the proposal produced is to be evaluated by experts from the academic and professional arenas. In the third stage, the data obtained through the expert judgement process will be analysed and the proposal revised. This paper sets out the project’s objectives, our grounds for undertaking it, its conceptual framework and its methodology, as well as the results obtained in the first stage and the future direction of the research.

KEYWORDS:

• Competence levels
• European framework
• descriptor scales
• translation competence
• translation competence acquisition

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. See PACTE (forthcoming b) for a full presentation of all the level descriptors.

2. For a review of models of TC, see Hurtado Albir (2001 [2011], 382–400; 2017b, 18–33) and Koby and Melby (2013). For a review of models of TCA, see Hurtado Albir (2001 [2011], 401–408).

3. The centres currently participating in the project belong to the following universities (in alphabetical order): Ιόνιο Πανεπιστήμιο (Ionian University); Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz; Open University; Stockholms Universitet; Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza; Universiteit Antwerpen; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Università di Bologna; University of Eastern Finland; Université de Genève; Universiteit Gent; Universidad de Granada; Universität Hildesheim; Universitat Jaume I; Univerza v Ljubljani; Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Université Paris III; Università del Salento; Università degli Studi di Trieste; University of Westminster; Uniwersytet Wrocławski; Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften; Zuyd Hogeschool.

4. 18 centres provided curriculum information in this stage of the project.

5. Specialized associations (from the areas of legal translation, audiovisual translation, etc.) will be involved in future work to describe specialized professional profiles.

6. This document has been produced with advice from Esther Adot, Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU Catalunya); Álvaro García Santa Cecilia, Cervantes Institute; Dorothy Kelly, Translation and Interpreting Department, Universidad de Granada; and Catherine Way, Translation and Interpreting Department, Universidad de Granada.

7. We have not included certified or sworn translation, as such translation, which is performed by translators with official accreditation in some countries, can involve mastery of any area of specialization (legal, administrative, economic, scientific, technical, etc.).

8. We consider a professional translator to be a translator who performs translations regularly, capably and effectively.

9. ‘Plus’ sub-levels (e.g. B1+) could be added in the future, as they were in the case of the CEFR.

10. It should be borne in mind that in professional practice the greatest emphasis tends to be placed on the result of translation (translation quality) and meeting deadlines.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad [FFI2013-42522-P].