Revisiting Reflection: AI-Driven Transformation of Translation Reflection

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1731-7533.23.02

Keywords:

co-evolvement, metaphor, meme, post-editing, reflection, reflective practice

Abstract

This conceptual article extends Chesterman’s 1997 stages of translation by three additional stages – problem solving, processing, and co-evolving – and redefines translation through reflective practice. In response to the growing complexity of AI-mediated translation workflows, it positions reflection as a key pedagogical and epistemological tool that supports translator agency and adaptive expertise. Drawing on interdisciplinary insights, the article highlights established and emerging reflective methods and calls for a comprehensive theory of translation reflection. It identifies theoretical, empirical, interdisciplinary, and pedagogical gaps in current scholarship, arguing that translation pedagogy is uniquely positioned to lead development of reflection theory. The article aims to contribute a conceptual framework that strengthens the role of reflection in translator education and practice in the age of AI.

References

Abu-Rayyash, Hussein. 2023. Revolutionizing Translator Training through Human-AI Collaboration: Insights and Implications from Integrating GPT-4. Current Trends in Translation Teaching and Learning E 10. 259-301. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51287/cttl20239 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Alves, Fabio and Gonçalves, José Luiz Vila Real. 2013. Investigating the Conceptual-Procedural Distinction in the Translation Process: A Relevance-Theoretic Analysis of Micro and Macro Translation Units. Target 25 (1). 107-124. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/target.25.1.09alv [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Angelone, Erik. 2022. Weaving Adaptive Expertise into Translator Training. In Gary Massey, Elsa Huertas-Barros and David Katan (ed.), The Human Translator in the 2020s, 60-73. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003223344-5 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Boekaerts, Monique and Corno, Lyn. 2005. Self-Regulation in the Classroom: A Perspective on Assessment and Intervention. Applied Psychology 54 (2). 199-231. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2005.00205.x [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Bontempo, Karen and Napier, Jemina. 2011. Evaluating Emotional Stability as a Predictor of Interpreter Competence and Aptitude for Interpreting. Interpreting 13 (1). 85-105. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.13.1.06bon [Accessed: 31 October 2025]
Google Scholar

Borg, Claudine, Heine, Carmen and Risku, Hanna. 2025. Observations and Diaries. In Ana María Rojo López und Ricardo Muñoz Martín (eds.), Research Methods in Cognitive Translation and Interpreting Studies, 108-132. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.10.05bor [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Boud, David, Keogh, Rosemary and Walker, David. 1985. Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. London: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Chesterman, Andrew. 1997. Memes of Translation: The Spread of Ideas in Translation Theory. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.22
Google Scholar

Crowston, Kevin and Bolici, Francesco. 2025. Deskilling and upskilling with AI systems. Information Research 30, iConf: 1009. Available from: https://doi.org/10.47989/ir30iConf47143 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

de Beaugrande, Robert-Alain and Dressler, Wolfgang U. 1981. Einführung in die Textlinguistik. Tübingen: Niemeyer. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111349305
Google Scholar

Declercq, Christophe. 2014. Crowd, Cloud and Automation in the Translation Education Community. Cultus: The Journal of Intercultural Mediation and Communication (7). 37-56. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333204130_Crowd_Cloud_and_automation_in_the_translation_education_community [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Defeng, Li. 1998. Reflective journals in translation teaching. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology 6 (2): 225-234. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.1998.9961338
Google Scholar

Dengscherz, Sabine. 2022. Considering Individual and Situational Variation in Modeling Writing Processes. In Magnus Gustafsson and Andreas Eriksson (eds.), Negotiating the Intersections of Writing and Writing Instruction, 165-194. Fort Collins: The WAC Clearinghouse. Available from: https://doi.org/10.37514/INT-B.2022.1466.2.06
Google Scholar

Dewey, John.1933. How We Think: A Restatement of the Relation of Reflective Thinking to the Educative Process. Boston: Heath.
Google Scholar

Flanagan, Marian and Christensen, Tina Paulsen. 2014. Testing Post-Editing Guidelines: How Translation Trainees Interpret Them and How to Tailor Them for Translator Training Purposes. Interpreter and Translator Trainer 8 (2). 257-275. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399X.2014.936111 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Fox, Olivia. 2000. The Use of Translation Diaries in a Process-Oriented Translation Teaching Methodology. In Christina Schäffner and Beverly Adab (eds.), Developing Translation Competence, vol. 38, 115-137. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.38.12fox [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Gibbs, Graham. 1988. Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Wheatly/Oxford: Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes.
Google Scholar

Gile, Daniel. 2004. Integrated Problem and Decision Reporting as a Translator Training Tool. Jostrans (2). 2-20. Available from: https://www.jostrans.org/article/view/7213 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Göpferich, Susanne. 2008. Translationsprozessforschung: Stand – Methoden – Perspektiven. Translationswissenschaft 4. Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag.
Google Scholar

Gutt, Ernst-August. 1991. Translation and Relevance: Cognition and Context. Manchester: St. Jerome.
Google Scholar

Haro-Soler, María del Mar. 2021. How Can Translation Teachers Care for Their Students? A Case Study on Verbal Persuasion and Translation Students’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs. New Voices in Translation Studies 24 (1). 46-71. Available from: https://doi.org/10.14456/nvts.2021.4 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Hayes, John R. and Flower, Linda. 1980. Identifying the Organization of Writing Processes. In Lee W. Gregg and Erwin R. Steinberg Cognitive Processes in Writing, 3-30. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Google Scholar

Hébert, Cristyne. 2015. Knowing and/or Experiencing: A Critical Examination of the Reflective Models of John Dewey and Donald Schön. Reflective Practice 16 (3). 361-371. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2015.1023281 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Heine, Carmen. 2019. Integrated Problem Decision Reports in Schreibdidaktik und Beratung. JoSch — Journal der Schreibberatung 17 (1). 48-51. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3278/JOS1901W048 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Heine, Carmen. 2020. Fremdsprachliche Schreibkompetenz und angeleitete Selbstreflexion. Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht 25 (1). 373-395. Available from: https://zif.tujournals.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/article/id/3237/ [Accessed: 31 October 2025]
Google Scholar

Holz-Mänttäri, Justa. 1984. Translatorisches Handeln: Theorie und Methode. Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia.
Google Scholar

Hönig, Hans G. 1995. Konstruktives Übersetzen. Tübingen: Stauffenburg Verlag.
Google Scholar

International Standards Organization (ISO). 2017. International Standard 18587, Translation Services – Post-Editing of Machine Translation Output – Requirements. Geneva: ISO.
Google Scholar

Iwers-Stelljes, Telse A. 2014. Innere Blockaden in Phasen von Entscheidung und Veränderung. Zeitschrift für Gestaltpädagogik 25 (1). 109-131.
Google Scholar

Jakobsen, Arnt Lykke and Schou, Lasse. 1999. Translog Documentation: Version 1.0. In Gyde Hansen (ed.), Probing the Process in Translation: Methods and Results, 151-186. Frederiksberg: Samfundslitteratur.
Google Scholar

Jakobson, Roman. 1959. On Linguistic Aspects of Translation. In Reuben A. Brower (ed.), On Translation, 232-239. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674731615.c18
Google Scholar

Kade, Otto. 1968. Zufall und Gesetzmäßigkeit in der Übersetzung. Leipzig: VEB Verlag Enzyklopädie.
Google Scholar

Kiraly, Donald. 2012. Growing a Project-Based Translation Pedagogy: A Fractal Perspective. Meta: Translators' Journal 57 (1). 82-95. Available from: https://doi.org/10.7202/1012742ar [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Kolb, David A. 1984. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
Google Scholar

Kolb, David A. and Kolb, Alice Y. 2013. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory 4.0: Guide to Theory, Psychometrics, Research & Applications. Carlsbad: Hay Group.
Google Scholar

Koller, Werner. 2011. Einführung in die Übersetzungswissenschaft. Tübingen: Francke.
Google Scholar

Krings, Hans Peter. 1986. Was in den Köpfen von Übersetzern vorgeht: Eine empirische Untersuchung zur Struktur des Übersetzungsprozesses an fortgeschrittenen Französischlernern. Tübingen: Narr.
Google Scholar

Li, Xiang, Zhaoyang, Gao and Hong, Liao. 2023. The Effect of Critical Thinking on Translation Technology Competence Among College Students: The Chain Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy and Cultural Intelligence. Psychology Research and Behavior Management 16: 1233–1256. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10120820/ [Accessed: 31st October 2025]. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S408477
Google Scholar

Long, Duri and Magerko, Brian. 2020. What Is AI Literacy? Competencies and Design Considerations. Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376727 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Maruf, Sameen. 2019. Document-wide Neural Machine Translation. Dissertation, Monash University. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26180/5dcb45dc0d8ee [Accessed: 31 October 2025]
Google Scholar

McLaughlin, Terance H. 1999. Beyond the Reflective Teacher. Educational Philosophy and Theory 31: 9-25. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.1999.tb00371.x [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Miller, William R. and Rollnick, Stephen. 2013. Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change. 3rd edition. New York: Guildford Press.
Google Scholar

Moon, Jennifer A. 1999. Learning Journals: A Handbook for Academics, Students and Professional Development. London: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Moon, Jennifer A. 2006. Learning Journals: A Handbook for Reflective Practice and Professional Development. 2nd ed. London: Routledge. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203969212 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Neubert, Albrecht. 1984. Textgebundene Übersetzungsdidaktik. In Wolfram Wilss and Gisela Thome (eds.), Die Theorie des Übersetzens und ihr Aufschlußwert für die Übersetzungs- und Dolmetschdidaktik, [Tübinger Beiträge zur Linguistik], Bd. 247, 61-79. Tübingen: Gunter Narr.
Google Scholar

Nitzke, Jean, Hansen-Schirra, Silvia and Canfora, Canfora. 2019. Risk Management and Post-Editing Competence. The Journal of Specialized Translation 31. 239-259. Available from: https://www.jostrans.org/article/view/7866 [Accessed: 31st October 2025]. https://doi.org/10.26034/cm.jostrans.2019.185
Google Scholar

Nord, Christiane. 1988/1991. Text Analysis in Translation: Theory, Methodology and Didactic Application of a Model for Translation-Oriented Text Analysis. Rodopi. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004500914_005
Google Scholar

O’Brian, Sharon, Balling Laura Winther, Carl, Michael, Simard, Michel and Specia, Lucia. 2014. Post-editing of Machine Translation: Processes and Applications. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Google Scholar

Palanichamy, Naveen and Trojovský, Pavel. 2024. Overview and Challenges of Machine Translation for Contextually Appropriate Translations. iScience 27 (10). 110878. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110878 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Pavlović, Nataša and Antunović, Goranka. 2021. Towards acquiring post-editing abilities through research- informed practical tasks. Strani jezic 50 (2). 185-205. Available from: https://doi.org/10.22210/strjez/50-2/2 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Pietrzak, Paulina, 2019a. ed. The Potential of Reflective Translator Training. Special Issue of Intralinea. Available from: https://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/the_potential_of_reflective_translator_training [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Pietrzak, Paulina. 2019b. Scaffolding Student Self-Reflection in Translator Training. Translation and Interpreting Studies 14 (3). 416-436. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.18029.pie [Accessed: 31st November 2025].
Google Scholar

Pietrzak, Paulina. 2021a. The Effects of Students’ Self-Regulation on Translation Quality. Babel: International Journal of Translation 64 (5/6). 819-839. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00064.pie
Google Scholar

Pietrzak, Paulina. 2021b. Metacognitive Translator Competence: From Other-Regulation to Self-Regulation. Konińskie Studia Językowe 9 (2). 229-247. Available from: https://doi.org/10.30438/ksj.2021.9.2.6. [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Rafner, Janet Frances, et al. 2021. Deskilling, Upskilling, and Reskilling: A Case for Hybrid Intelligence. Morals + Machines 1 (2). 25-39. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5771/2747-5174-2021-2-24 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Reiß, Katharina and Vermeer, Hans J. 1984/1991. Grundlegung einer allgemeinen Translationstheorie. Tübingen: Niemeyer. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111351919
Google Scholar

Reza, Mohi, et al.. 2025. Co-Writing with AI, on Human Terms: Aligning Research with User Demands Across the Writing Process. arXiv 2-37. https://doi.org/10.1145/3757566
Google Scholar

Available from: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.12488. [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Risku, Hanna. 2004/2009. Translationsmanagement: Interkulturelle Fachkommunikation im Informationszeitalter. Tübingen: Narr.
Google Scholar

Risku, Hanna. 1998. Translatorische Kompetenz: Kognitive Grundlagen des Übersetzens als Expertentätigkeit. Tübingen: Narr.
Google Scholar

Schaeffer, Moritz and Carl, Michael 2013. Shared Representations and the Translation Process: A Recursive Model. Translation and Interpreting Studies 8, (2). 169-190. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.8.2.03sch [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Schjoldager, Anne Gram, Gottlieb, Henrik and Klitgård, Ida. 2008/2010. Understanding Translation. Aarhus: Systime Academic.
Google Scholar

Schön, Donald A. 1987. Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Google Scholar

Shei, Chris C.-C. 2005. Translation Commentary: A Happy Medium between Translation Curriculum and EAP. System 33 (2). 309-25. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2005.01.004 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Shih, Claire Y. 2011. Learning from Writing Reflective Learning Journals in a Theory-Based Translation Module: Students’ Perspectives. Translation & Interpreting Studies 6 (2). 169-191. Available from: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1522467/ [Accessed: 31st October 2025]. https://doi.org/10.1080/13556509.2011.10798823
Google Scholar

Siever, Holger. 2015. Übersetzungswissenschaft: Eine Einführung. Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto.
Google Scholar

Toury, Gideon 1995. Descriptive Translation Studies and Beyond. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.4
Google Scholar

Twomey, Robert. 2023. Communing with Creative AI. Proceedings of the ACM on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques 6 (2). 1-13. Available from: h https://doi.org/10.1145/3597633
Google Scholar

Veiga-Díaz, María Teresa. 2023. Self-Efficacy and Self-Awareness in Scientific Translators’ Education: A Preliminary Study. Cadernos de Tradução 43 (1). 1-38. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2022.e92502 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Way, Catherine. 2019. Fostering Translator Competence: The Importance of Effective Feedback and Motivation for Translator Trainees. In Paulina Pietrzak (ed.), inTRAlinea Special Issue: New Insights into Translator Training, 1-6. Available from: https://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/2430 [Accessed: 31st October 2025].
Google Scholar

Wilss, Wolfram. 1988. Kognition und Übersetzen: Zu Theorie und Praxis der menschlichen und der maschinellen Übersetzung. Tübingen: Niemeyer. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110935844
Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

2025-12-05

How to Cite

Heine, C. (2025). Revisiting Reflection: AI-Driven Transformation of Translation Reflection. Research in Language, 23, 11–31. https://doi.org/10.18778/1731-7533.23.02

Issue

Section

Articles