Introducing Translation Awareness

Abstract

This chapter introduces and defines the concept of translation awareness, the central theme of the volume. By defining translation awareness, this chapter provides a framework for examining how organisations, institutions, and individuals involved in organising, producing, using, or assessing multilingual communication perceive and understand translation and interpreting, as well as the implications such understanding – or lack of it – may have. As a concept, translation awareness comprises an understanding of the functions of translation and translating in society; knowledge of translation processes, the agents involved, the competencies required, and their potential implications; and attitudes towards and beliefs about translation. This chapter explores the concept’s connections with related notions such as the translator’s (and translation’s) visibility, translator status, and translation literacy, as well as language awareness, ideologies, attitudes, and beliefs, and reviews previous studies that have addressed the phenomenon in various research contexts without using the label.

This chapter introduces and defines the concept of translation awareness, the central theme of the volume. By defining translation awareness, this chapter provides a framework for examining how organisations, institutions, and individuals involved in organising, producing, using, or assessing multilingual communication perceive and understand translation and interpreting, as well as the implications such understanding – or lack of it – may have. As a concept, translation awareness comprises an understanding of the functions of translation and translating in society; knowledge of translation processes, the agents involved, the competencies required, and their potential implications; and attitudes towards and beliefs about translation. This chapter explores the concept’s connections with related notions such as the translator’s (and translation’s) visibility, translator status, and translation literacy, as well as language awareness, ideologies, attitudes, and beliefs, and reviews previous studies that have addressed the phenomenon in various research contexts without using the label.