Intercultural Competence in Translator Training

Agata Klimczak-Pawlak

doi:10.18778/2544-9796.01.10

Authors

Agata Klimczak-Pawlak Uniwersytet Warszawski

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2544-9796.01.10

Keywords:

intercultural competence, translation competence, translator training, language majors’ beliefs

Abstract

With the superdiversity (Blommaert 2010, 2013) of today’s societies translator training faces new challenges. This article sets out to explore the issue of intercultural competence in translator training from the perspective of the views and beliefs of English language majors in Poland. Rather than discussing the translation programmes offered to students, the study presented here concentrates on preconceptions as to who a translator is, what skills, knowledge and competences are crucial for a translator and what difficulties s/he may face. Students’ beliefs prove that they are ready for courses which will encourage them to reflect on their views and will help them deepen their understanding of culture to include intercultural aspects as well as aspects of their own culture. As Polish students wanting to be translators may simply not be aware of the intercultural challenges entailed by the profession, it is argued here that overt, explicit focus on intercultural communication and raising students’ intercultural competence is needed.

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