Publications

Publication details [#29136]

Koby, Geoffrey S. and Isabel Lacruz. 2017. The Thorny Problem of Translation and Interpreting Quality. Linguistica Antverpiensia: New Series 16 : 1–12. URL

Abstract

A fundamental obstacle to progress in quality assessment is the lack of consensus about how to characterize high-quality translation or interpreting, let alone the identification of broadly accepted models for measuring quality or the ability of translators or interpreters. Is it proximity to a “gold standard” of perfection or is it characteristic of a product that simply serves its purpose well enough to satisfy the needs of the consumer? Is quality something that should be measured and judged in absolute terms or in relative terms? Different philosophies of quality assessment reflect these dichotomies, with the absolutists seeking objective assessments based on detailed analyses of taxonomies of errors, whereas the relativists prefer a more holistic approach that is more sympathetic to subjective judgements. The authors of the present article provide brief analyses of the contributions in this volume through the lens of the framework above.
Source : Based on abstract in journal