Article published In:
BabelVol. 69:1 (2023) ► pp.99–128
Comparing L2 translation, translation revision, and post-editing competences in translation trainees
An exploratory study into Dutch–French translation
Translation proper is rarely the sole activity that translators undertake in today’s translation market. Translators regularly function as revisers or post-editors, requiring them to check human or machine translations to make or recommend changes to improve translation quality. Various construct and performance models of and studies into translation competence (TC), translation revision competence (TRC), and post-editing competence (PEC) exist. However, a fundamental question remains unanswered to date: how similar or different TC, TRC, and PEC are. Using indirect translations (L1 Dutch, L2 French), we collected and analyzed translation, translation revision (TR), and post-editing (PE) data from 11 graduate translation trainees. Our exploratory study shows that TRC and PEC appear to have different competences, with trainees performing better for TR than PE. However, TRC and PEC do appear to have a common core, which does not differ significantly across tasks: problem detection.
Keywords: translation, translation revision, post-editing, construct models, quality
Article outline
- Introduction
- Theoretical framework: Models of translation, translation revision, and post-editing
- Methodology
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Translation Revision (TR) task
- Post-editing (PE) task
- Translation (T) task
- Results
- Process data
- Product data
- Translation revision and post-editing tasks: Tests of comparison and correlation tests
- Translation revision, post-editing and translation tasks: Correlation tests
- Discussion and conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
-
References
References
Bisaillon, Jocelyne
2007 “Professional Editing Strategies Used by Six Editors.” Written Communication 24 (4): 295–322. 
Brysbaert, Marc
2021 “Power Considerations in Bilingualism Research: Time to Step Up Our Game.” Bilingualism: Language and Cognition 241: 813–818.
Chodkiewicz, Marta
2020 Understanding the Development of Translation Competence. Berlin: Peter Lang.
do Carmo, Félix, and Joss Moorkens
2021 “Differentiating Editing, Post-Editing and Revision.” In Translation Revision and Post-Editing: Industry Practices and Cognitive Processes, edited by Maarit Koponen, Brian Mossop, Isabelle S. Robert, and Giovanna Scocchera, 35–49. London: Routledge.
EMT Expert Group
2009 Competences for Professional Translators, Experts in Multilingual and Multimedia Communication. [URL]
European Committee for Standardization
2006 European Standard EN 15 038. Translation Services – Service Requirements. Brussels: European Committee for Standardization.
Eyckmans, June
2017 “Cultural Competence in Translation Studies and Its Assessment.” In Towards Transcultural Awareness in Translation Pedagogy, edited by Julie Deconinck, Philippe Humblé, Arvi Sepp, and Hélène Stengers, 209–229. Zürich: LIT.
Göpferich, Susanne
2009 “Towards a Model of Translation Competence and Its Acquisition: The Longitudinal Study TransComp
.” In Behind the Mind: Methods, Models and Results in Translation Process Research, edited by Susanne Göpferich, Arnt Lykke Jakobsen, and Inger M. Mees, 11–37. Frederiksberg: Samfundslitteratur.
Guerberof Arenas, Ana, and Joss Moorkens
2019 “Machine Translation and Post-Editing Training as Part of a Master’s Programme.” JoSTrans: The Journal of Specialised Translation 311: 217–238.
Hansen, Gyde
2009 “The Speck in Your Brother’s Eye – The Beam in Your Own: Quality Management in Translation and Revision.” In Efforts and Models in Interpreting and Translation Research: A Tribute to Daniel Gile, edited by Gyde Hansen, Andrew Chesterman and Heidrun Gerzymisch-Arbogast, 255–280. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Horguelin, Paul A., and Louise Brunette
1998 Pratique de la Révision. Brossard, QC: Linguatech.
Hurtado Albir, Amparo
International Organization for Standardization
(2015) ISO 17100:2015 – Translation Services – Requirements for Translation Services. In. Geneva: ISO.
Jakobsen, Arnt Lykke
2018 “Moving Translation, Revision, and Post-Editing Boundaries.” In Moving Boundaries in Translation Studies, edited by Helle V. Dam, Matilde Nisbeth Brøgger, and Karen Korning Zethsen, 64–80. London: Routledge.
Kelly, Dorothy
2005 A Handbook for Translator Trainers: A Guide to Reflective Practice. Manchester: St. Jerome.
Konttinen, Kalle, Leena Salmi, and Maarit Koponen
2021 “Revision and Post-Editing Competences in Translator Education.” In Translation Revision and Post-Editing: Industry Practices and Cognitive Processes, edited by Maarit Koponen, Brian Mossop, Isabelle S. Robert, and Giovanna Scocchera, 187–202. London: Routledge.
Koponen, Maarit
2016 “Is Machine Translation Post-Editing Worth the Effort?: A Survey of Research into Post-Editing and Effort.” JoSTrans: The Journal of Specialised Translation 251: 131–148.
Koponen, Maarit, Brian Mossop, Isabelle S. Robert, and Giovanna Scocchera
eds. 2021 Translation Revision and Post-Editing: Industry Practices and Cognitive Processes. London: Routledge.
Kornacki, Michał
2018 Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) Tools in the Translator Training Process. Berlin: Peter Lang.
Künzli, Alexander
2006 “Teaching and Learning Translation Revision: Some Suggestions Based on Evidence from a Think-Aloud Protocol Study.” In Current Trends in Translation Teaching and Learning, edited by Mike Garant, 9–24. Helsinki: University of Helsinki.
Leijten, Mariëlle, and Luuk Van Waes
2013 “Keystroke Logging in Writing Research: Using Inputlog to Analyze Writing Processes.” Written Communication 30 (3): 358–392.
Loewen, Shawn, and Luke Plonsky
2016 An A–Z of Applied Linguistics Research Methods. London: Palgrave.
Massey, Gary
2017 “Translation Competence Development and Process-Oriented Pedagogy.” In The Handbook of Translation and Cognition, edited by John W. Schwieter and Aline Ferreira, 496–518. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Mossop, Brian
1992 “Goals of a Revision Course.” In Teaching Translation and Interpreting: Training, Talent and Experience. Papers from the First Language International Conference Elsinore, Denmark, 31 May–2 June 1991, edited by Cay Dollerup and Anne Loddegaard, 81–90. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Mossop, Brian (with Jungmin Hong and Carlos Teixeira
) 2020 Revising and Editing for Translators, 4th ed. London: Routledge.
Nitzke, Jean, Silvia Hansen-Schirra, and Carmen Canfora
2019 “Risk Management and Post-Editing Competence.” JoSTrans: The Journal of Specialised Translation 311: 239–259.
Nitzke, Jean, and Silvia Hansen-Schirra
2021 A Short Guide to Post-Editing (Translation and Multilingual Natural Language Processing 16). N.p.: Language Science Press.
Nunes Vieira, Lucas, Elisa Alonso, and Lindsay Bywood
2019 “Introduction: Post-Editing in Practice: Process, Product and Networks.” JoSTrans: The Journal of Specialised Translation 311: 2–13.
O’Brien, Sharon
2002 “Teaching Post-Editing: A Proposal for Course Content.” In Proceedings of the Sixth EAMT Workshop: Teaching Machine Translation, 99–106. [URL]
2010 “
Introduction to Post-Editing: Who, What, How and Where to Next?
” AMTA 2010: The Ninth Conference of the Association for Machine Translation in the Americas, Denver, CO, 31 October–4 November 2010. [URL]
PACTE
2003 “Building a Translation Competence Model.” In Triangulating Translation: Perspectives in Process Oriented Research, edited by Fabio Alves, 43–66. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
2005 “Investigating Translation Competence: Conceptual and Methodological Issues.” Meta 50 (2): 609–619.
2019 “Evolution of the Efficacy of the Translation Process in Translation Competence Acquisition.” Meta 64 (1): 242–265.
2020 “Translation Competence Acquisition: Design and Results of the PACTE Group’s Experimental Research.” The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 14 (2): 95–233.
Pym, Anthony
2003 “Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Age: In Defence of a Minimalist Approach.” Meta 48 (4): 481–497.
2013 “Translation Skill-Sets in a Machine-Translation Age.” Meta 58 (3): 487–503.
Rico, Celia, and Enrique Torrejón
2012 “Skills and Profile of the New Role of the Translator as MT Post-Editor.” Revista Tradumàtica: Tecnologies de la Traducció [Translation review: Translation technologies] 101: 166–178.
Rigouts Terryn, Ayla., Isabelle S. Robert, Jim J. J. Ureel, Aline Remael, and Sabien Hanoulle
2017 “Conceptualizing Translation Revision Competence: A Pilot Study on the Acquisition of the ‘Knowledge about Revision’ and ‘Strategic’ Subcompetences.” Across Languages and Cultures 18 (1): 1–27.
Robert, Isabelle S.
2012 “La Révision en Traduction: Les Procédures de Révision et Leur Impact sur le Produit et le Processus de Révision” [Editing in translation: Editing procedures and their impact on the product and editing process]. Ph.D. diss., University of Antwerp.
2018 “La Recherche en Révision: Portrait Bibliométrique, Questions de Recherche et Méthodologies” [Revision research: Bibliometric portrait, research questions and methodologies]. Parallèles [Parallels] 30 (2): 129–152.
Robert, Isabelle S., Iris Schrijver, Jim J. J. Ureel
2021 “Measuring Translation Revision Competence (TRC) and Post-Editing Competence (PEC) in Translation Trainees: Methodological Issues.” Paper presented at the 2nd Session of the Łódź-ZHAW Duo Colloquium on Translation and Meaning, Winterthur, Switzerland (Online), 2–3 September 2021.
Robert, Isabelle S., Iris Schrijver, and Jim J. J. Ureel
2022 “Measuring Translation Revision Competence and Post-Editing Competence in Translation Trainees: Methodological Issues.” Perspectives: Studies in Translation Theory and Practice. Advance publication.
Robert, Isabelle, and Louise Brunette
2016 “Should Revision Trainees Think Aloud While Revising Somebody Else’s Translation? Insights from an Empirical Study with Professionals.’ Meta 61 (2): 320–345.
Robert, Isabelle S., and Luuk Van Waes
2014 “Selecting a Translation Revision Procedure: Do Common Sense and Statistics Agree?” Perspectives: Studies in Translatology 22 (3): 304–320.
Robert, Isabelle S., Aline Remael, and Jim J. J. Ureel
2017a “Towards a Model of Translation Revision Competence.” The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 11 (1): 1–19.
Robert, Isabelle S., Ayla Rigouts Terryn, Jim J. J. Ureel, and Aline Remael
2017b “Conceptualizing Translation Revision Competence: A Pilot Study on the ‘Tools and Research’ Subcompetence.” JoSTrans: The Journal of Specialised Translation 281: 293–316.
Robert, Isabelle S., Jim J. J. Ureel, Aline Remael, and Ayla Rigouts Terryn
2018 “Conceptualizing Translation Revision Competence: A Pilot Study on the ‘Fairness and Tolerance’ Attitudinal Component.” Perspectives: Studies in Translatology 26 (1): 2–23.
Robin, Edina
2016 “The Translator as Reviser.” In The Modern Translator and Interpreter, edited by Ildikó Horváth, 45–56. Budapest: Eötvös University Press.
Sánchez-Gijón, Pilar
2016 “La Posedición: Hacia una Definición Competencial del Perfil y una Descripción Multidimensional del Fenómeno” [Post-editing: Towards a competence profile definition and a multidimensional description of the phenomenon]. Sendebar 271: 151–162.
Scocchera, Giovanna
2017 La Revisione nella Traduzione Editoriale dall’Inglese all’Italiano tra Ricerca Accademica, Professione e Formazione: Stato dell’Arte e Prospettive Future [Proofreading in editorial translation from English into Italian between academic research, profession and training: State of the art and future perspectives]. Aprilia: Aracne editrice.
Shreve, Gregory M., Erik Angelone, and Isabel Lacruz
2018 “Are Expertise and Translation Competence the Same?: Psychological Reality and the Theoretical Status of Competence.” In Innovation and Expansion in Translation Process Research, edited by Riitta Jääskeläinen and Isabel Lacruz, 37–54. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Tiselius, Elisabet, and Adelina Hild
2017 “Expertise and Competence in Translation and Interpreting.” In The Handbook of Translation and Cognition, edited by John W. Schwieter and Aline Ferreira, 423–444. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.